TIDM99HH

RNS Number : 5779Q

HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

20 February 2019

HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

Annual Report and Accounts 2018

 
 
 
 Contents 
                                                                                                 Page 
Report of the Directors                                                                             2 
Independent Auditor's Report to the Shareholder of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited                    3 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Financial Statements 
Consolidated income statement                                                                       8 
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income                                                      9 
Consolidated statement of financial position                                                       10 
Consolidated statement of cash flows                                                               11 
Consolidated statement of changes in equity                                                        12 
Notes on the Financial Statements 
1   Legal status and principal activities                                                          13 
2   Basis of preparation and significant accounting policies                                       13 
3   Changes in fair value of long-term debt and related derivatives                                24 
                                                                                                 ---- 
4   Operating profit                                                                               25 
5   Employee compensation and benefits                                                             25 
6   Auditors' remuneration                                                                         29 
7   Tax                                                                                            29 
8   Dividends                                                                                      30 
9   Segment analysis                                                                               31 
10  Trading assets                                                                                 32 
11  Fair values of financial instruments carried at fair value                                     32 
12  Fair values of financial instruments not carried at fair value                                 37 
13  Derivatives                                                                                    38 
14  Financial investments                                                                          39 
15  Assets charged as security for liabilities, and collateral accepted as security for assets     40 
16  Interests in associates and joint arrangement                                                  40 
17  Investments in subsidiaries                                                                    40 
18  Prepayments, accrued income and other assets                                                   41 
19  Assets held for sale and liabilities of disposal groups held for sale and intangible assets    41 
                                                                                                 ---- 
20  Trading liabilities                                                                            41 
21  Financial liabilities designated at fair value                                                 41 
22  Debt securities in issue                                                                       41 
23  Accruals, deferred income and other liabilities                                                42 
24  Provisions                                                                                     43 
25  Maturity analysis of assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet commitments                     43 
26  Offsetting of financial assets and financial liabilities                                       44 
27  Foreign exchange exposure                                                                      45 
28  Called up share capital and share premium                                                      45 
29  Notes on the statement of cash flows                                                           46 
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---- 
30  Effect of reclassification upon adoption of IFRS 9                                             47 
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---- 
31  Risk management                                                                                49 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
32  Contingent liabilities, contractual commitments and guarantees                                 75 
33  Lease commitments                                                                              76 
34  Legal proceedings and regulatory matters                                                       76 
35  Related party transactions                                                                     77 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
36  Events after the balance sheet date                                                            79 
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---- 
 
 
 
 
 Presentation of Information 
 

This document comprises the Annual Report and Accounts 2018 for HSBC Bank Middle East Limited ('the bank') and its subsidiary undertakings (together 'the group'). It contains the Directors' Report and Accounts, together with the Auditor's report. References to 'HSBC' or 'the HSBC Group' within this document mean HSBC Holdings plc together with its subsidiaries.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018     1 
 

Report of the Directors | Independent Auditor's Report to the Shareholder of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

 
 
 
 Board of Directors 
 
 
 
 
David Eldon, Chairman                                          Sir William Patey 
Georges Elhedery, Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairman  Abdulfattah Sharaf 
Dr. Raja Al Gurg                                               John Bartlett 
Abdul Hakeem Mostafawi                                         Chris D Spooner 
David Dew 
 
 
 
 
 Change in Directors 
 
 
 
--  A M Keir resigned as a Director on 28 February 2018. 
 
 
 
 
 Principal activities 
 

The group through its branch network and subsidiary undertakings provides a range of banking and related financial services in the Middle East and North Africa.

The group has established a branch in Abu Dhabi Global Markets ('ADGM') in 2018. The licence was granted on 31 October 2018 and the purpose of the branch is to provide advisory services (arranging and advising on investment deals) to clients based in Abu Dhabi.

 
 
 
 Attributable profit and dividends 
 

The profit attributable to the shareholders of the parent company amounted to US$541 million (2017: US$545 million) as set out in the consolidated income statement on page 8.

During the year, a fourth interim dividend for 2017 and first interim dividend for 2018 of US$140 million and US$50 million (2017: U$430 million) were declared on 13 February 2018 and 03 May 2018 respectively.

A second interim dividend for 2018 of US$100 million was declared by the Directors on 12 February 2019.

 
 
 
 Registered office 
 

The bank is a "Company Limited by Shares" incorporated in the Dubai International Financial Centre ('DIFC') under the Companies Law (DIFC Law No. 2 of 2009) on 30 June 2016 with registered number 2199. Its head office and registered office is located at Level 1, Gate Village Building 8, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 
 
 
 Auditor 
 

PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited has expressed its willingness to continue in office and the Board recommends that it be reappointed. A resolution proposing the reappointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited as auditor of the group and giving authority to the Directors to determine its remuneration will be submitted to the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

On behalf of the Board

J A Tothill

Secretary

 
 
 
 
 
 2    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Report on the audit of the consolidated financial statements 
 

Our opinion

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the consolidated financial position of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited (the 'company') and its subsidiaries (the 'group') as at 31 December 2018, and its consolidated financial performance and its consolidated cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS') as endorsed by the European Union.

What we have audited

The group's consolidated financial statements comprise:

 
 
--  the consolidated statement of financial position as at 31 December 2018; 
 
 
 
--  the consolidated income statement for the year then ended; 
 
 
 
--  the consolidated statement of comprehensive income for the year then ended; 
 
 
 
--  the consolidated statement of changes in equity for the year then ended; 
 
 
 
--  the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended; and 
 
 
 
--  the notes to the consolidated financial statements, which include a summary of significant 
     accounting policies. 
 

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing ('ISAs'). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the consolidated financial statements section of our report.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Independence

We are independent of the group in accordance with the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants' Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants ('IESBA Code') and the requirements of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (the 'DFSA'). We have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and with the IESBA Code.

Our audit approach

Overview

 
 
 
Materiality        Overall group materiality: USD 32 million, which represents 5% of profit before tax. 
Group scoping      The scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of audit procedures performed were 
                    determined by our risk assessment, the financial significance of the components and other 
                    qualitative factors. Full scope audits were carried out at two of the five locations. 
-----------------  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Key audit matters  The 
                    Key 
                    Audit 
                    Matters 
                    identified 
                    during 
                    the 
                    year 
                    are: 
 
                    -- 
 
                    Impairment 
                    of 
                    loans 
                    and 
                    advances 
 
                    -- 
 
                    Valuation 
                    of 
                    unquoted 
                    equity 
                    instruments 
 
                    -- 
 
                    Valuation 
                    of 
                    unquoted 
                    debt 
                    instruments 
                    with 
                    significant 
                    unobservable 
                    inputs 
 
                    -- 
 
                    IT 
                    access 
                    management 
-----------------  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risks of material misstatement in the consolidated financial statements. In particular, we considered where management made subjective judgements; for example, in respect of significant accounting estimates that involved making assumptions and considering future events that are inherently uncertain. As in all of our audits, we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including among other matters, consideration of whether there was evidence of bias that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud.

How we tailored our group audit scope

We tailored the scope of our audit in order to perform sufficient work to enable us to provide an opinion on the consolidated financial statements as a whole, taking into account the structure of the group, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which the group operates.

Given the geographically dispersed nature of the group's operations in the Middle East and North Africa and the diversity of its banking activities, our approach was designed to cover each of the significant locations, being the United Arab Emirates ('UAE') and Qatar. We audited the operations of the group in the UAE and instructed a PwC member firm to perform work and issue an audit opinion to us in respect of the group's operations in Qatar. Each location that was not individually significant was assessed for any significant risks or material balances and, where appropriate, we instructed PwC member firms in those locations to perform and report on specific procedures relating to matters which were judgemental in nature and/or material to the overall group. The work in these locations was carried out by applying standard benchmarks on materiality and reflected the size and complexity of the operations.

 
 
 
 
 

PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited, License no. CL0215

Al Fattan Currency House, Tower 1, Level 8, Unit 801, DIFC, PO Box 11987, Dubai - United Arab Emirates

T: +971 (0)4 304 3100, F: +971 (0)4 346 9150, www.pwc.com/me

PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited is registered with the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018     3 
 

Independent Auditor's Report to the Shareholder of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

Our audit approach (continued)

How we tailored our group audit scope (continued)

A significant amount of the group's operational processes which are critical to financial reporting are undertaken in shared service centres run by HSBC Operations Services and Technology (HOST) across 11 individual locations. The audit work over the shared service centre processes and controls was performed by PwC member firms in each of the global shared service centre locations and coordinated by the PwC member firm in the UK, with oversight from us. This work enabled us to evaluate the effectiveness of the controls over key processes that supported material balances, classes of transactions and disclosures within the group consolidated financial statements, and to consider the implications on our audit work.

In aggregate, the audit work performed across the locations above provided us with the audit evidence required to form an opinion on the group consolidated financial statements.

Materiality

The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. An audit is designed to obtain reasonable assurance whether the consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement. Misstatements may arise due to fraud or error.

They are considered material if individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the consolidated financial statements.

Based on our professional judgement, we determined certain quantitative thresholds for materiality, including the overall group materiality for the consolidated financial statements as a whole as set out in the table below. These, together with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures and to evaluate the effect of misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the consolidated financial statements as a whole.

 
 
 
Overall group materiality                        USD 32 million 
How we determined it                             5% of profit before tax 
Rationale for the materiality benchmark applied  We chose profit before tax as the benchmark because, in our view, it 
                                                 is the benchmark against 
                                                 which the performance of the group is most commonly measured by 
                                                 users, and is a generally 
                                                 accepted benchmark. We chose 5% which is within the range of 
                                                 acceptable quantitative materiality 
                                                 thresholds in auditing standards. 
-----------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

We agreed with those charged with governance that we would report to them misstatements identified during our audit above USD 1.6 million as well as misstatements below that amount that, in our view, warranted reporting for qualitative reasons.

Key audit matters

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the consolidated financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

 
 
 
Key audit matter                                            How our audit addressed the key audit matter 
----------------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------- 
Impairment of loans and advances We focused on the          We assessed and tested the design and operating 
impairment of loans and advances due to                     effectiveness of the key controls that management 
the materiality of the loan balances and the associated     has established to support their impairment calculations. 
impairment allowances. In addition,                         This includes testing the key controls 
the compliance with IFRS in this area requires              over model performance monitoring and validation with the 
considerable judgement and interpretation in                assistance of our experts, including 
their application.                                          back testing of performance. 
As disclosed in note 31, as at 31 December 2018, the group  We tested the controls over the inputs of critical data, 
has recognised a provision for                              into source systems, and the flow 
impairment of loans and advances of USD 1.094 billion. The  and transfer of data between source systems to the 
largest loan portfolios and significant                     impairment calculation engine. This includes 
impairment allowances are in the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.    testing of the key reconciliations over the completeness 
IFRS requires the use of forward looking, expected credit   and accuracy of data, including substantiation 
loss (ECL) impairment models which                          of material exceptions noted for these reconciliations. 
take into account reasonable and supportable                Further, the PwC member firm in the UK tested the review 
forward-looking information.                                and challenge of multiple economic 
There are a number of significant judgements which are      scenarios by an internal expert panel and internal 
required in measuring ECL, including:                       governance committee, and assessed the 
determining the criteria for a significant increase in      reasonableness of the multiple economic scenarios and 
credit risk ('SICR');                                       variables using their experts. 
the application of future economic guidance; and            The PwC member firm in the UK also assessed management's 
techniques used to determine the Probability of Default     user acceptance testing over the 
('PD') and Loss Given Default ('LGD').                      automated calculation of ECL to ensure it is performed in 
As this is the first year of adoption of IFRS 9 -           line with business requirements, 
Financial Instruments (IFRS 9), there is                    as well as independently reviewed the underlying script to 
limited experience available to back-test the charge for    validate that the calculation operated 
expected credit losses with actual                          in accordance with their expectations. 
results. There is also a large increase in the data inputs  We have reviewed the work performed by the PwC member firm 
required in the impairment calculation.                     in the UK. 
The data is sourced from a number of systems that have not  We observed challenge forums to assess the ECL output and 
been used previously for the preparation                    approval of post model adjustments. 
of the accounting records. This increases the risk of       We also tested the approval of the key inputs, assumptions 
completeness and accuracy of the data.                      and discounted cash-flows that 
For defaulted exposures, the Group exercises judgement to   support the significant individual impairments, and 
estimate the expected future cash                           substantively tested a sample of individually 
flows related to individual exposures, including the value  assessed loans. We assessed the consolidated financial 
of collateral.                                              statements disclosures to assess compliance 
                                                            with IFRS. 
----------------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Our audit approach (continued)

Key audit matters (continued)

 
 
 
Key audit matter                                            How our audit addressed the key audit matter 
----------------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------- 
Valuation of unquoted equity instruments 
We focused on the valuation of unquoted equity instruments  We assessed and tested the design and the operating 
due to the materiality of the instruments                   effectiveness of the key controls that 
and the subjective nature of their valuation which involve  management has established to support the review and 
the use of judgemental assumptions.                         approval of the model design, key model 
As disclosed in note 14, as at 31 December 2018 the group   inputs and valuation. 
has unquoted equity instruments                             We assessed the appropriateness of the valuation method 
of USD 39 million. These instruments are classified and     used by management with the assistance 
measured at fair value through other                        of our valuation experts. The key inputs used in the 
comprehensive income.                                       determination of assumptions within the 
                                                            model were challenged by our experts and corroborating 
                                                            information was obtained. The mathematical 
                                                            accuracy of the model was also tested. 
Valuation of unquoted debt instruments with significant unobservable inputs 
                                                            We assessed and tested the design and operating 
                                                            effectiveness of the key controls that management 
We focused on the valuation of unquoted debt instruments    has established to support the review and approval of the 
with significant unobservable inputs                        valuations, including fair value 
due to the materiality of the instruments and the           adjustments. 
subjective nature of their valuation which 
involves the use of judgemental assumptions.                We assessed the appropriateness of the valuation method 
                                                            used by management with the assistance 
As of 31 December 2018 the group has investments in         of our valuation experts. Our valuation experts also 
unquoted debt instruments with significant                  performed an independent valuation of 
unobservable inputs of USD 298 million.                     the debt instruments. 
----------------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
Key audit matter                                                          How our audit addressed the key audit matter 
------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------- 
IT access management 
We focused on this area as the audit relies extensively on automated      We 
controls and therefore                                                     received 
on the effectiveness of controls over IT systems.                          regular 
In previous years, we identified and reported that controls over access    briefings 
to applications,                                                           from 
operating systems and databases in the financial reporting process         management 
required improvement.                                                      on 
Access management controls are critical to ensure that changes to          the 
applications and underlying                                                progress 
data are made in an appropriate manner. Appropriate access controls        made 
contribute to mitigating                                                   in 
the risk of potential fraud or errors as a result of changes to            remediating 
applications and data.                                                     weaknesses 
Over the past 4 years, management implemented remediation activities       in 
that have contributed                                                      HSBC 
to reducing the risk over access management in the financial reporting     Group-wide 
process.                                                                   systems 
However, issues related to privileged access to parts of the technology    and 
infrastructure and                                                         we 
business user access to applications remain unresolved, requiring our      communicated 
audit approach to respond                                                  with 
to the risks presented.                                                    other 
                                                                           PwC 
                                                                           member 
                                                                           firms 
                                                                           in 
                                                                           respect 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           their 
                                                                           validation 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           remediated 
                                                                           controls. 
 
                                                                           We 
                                                                           reviewed 
                                                                           formal 
                                                                           reporting 
                                                                           on 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           results 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           work 
                                                                           performed 
                                                                           in 
                                                                           relation 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           group-wide 
                                                                           systems 
                                                                           used 
                                                                           by 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           HSBC 
                                                                           Group. 
 
                                                                           Access 
                                                                           rights 
                                                                           were 
                                                                           tested 
                                                                           over 
                                                                           applications, 
                                                                           operating 
                                                                           systems 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           databases 
                                                                           relied 
                                                                           upon 
                                                                           for 
                                                                           financial 
                                                                           reporting. 
 
                                                                           Specifically, 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           audit 
                                                                           tested 
                                                                           that: 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           New 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           requests 
                                                                           for 
                                                                           joiners 
                                                                           were 
                                                                           properly 
                                                                           reviewed 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           authorised; 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           User 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           rights 
                                                                           were 
                                                                           removed 
                                                                           on 
                                                                           a 
                                                                           timely 
                                                                           basis 
                                                                           when 
                                                                           an 
                                                                           individual 
                                                                           left 
                                                                           or 
                                                                           changed 
                                                                           role; 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           Access 
                                                                           rights 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           applications, 
                                                                           operating 
                                                                           systems 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           databases 
                                                                           were 
                                                                           periodically 
                                                                           monitored 
                                                                           for 
                                                                           appropriateness; 
                                                                           and 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           Highly 
                                                                           privileged 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           is 
                                                                           restricted 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           appropriate 
                                                                           personnel. 
 
                                                                           Other 
                                                                           areas 
                                                                           that 
                                                                           were 
                                                                           independently 
                                                                           assessed 
                                                                           included 
                                                                           password 
                                                                           policies, 
                                                                           security 
                                                                           configurations, 
                                                                           controls 
                                                                           over 
                                                                           changes 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           applications 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           databases 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           that 
                                                                           business 
                                                                           users, 
                                                                           developers 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           production 
                                                                           support 
                                                                           did 
                                                                           not 
                                                                           have 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           change 
                                                                           applications, 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           operating 
                                                                           system 
                                                                           or 
                                                                           databases 
                                                                           in 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           production 
                                                                           environment. 
 
                                                                           As 
                                                                           a 
                                                                           consequence 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           deficiencies 
                                                                           identified, 
                                                                           a 
                                                                           range 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           other 
                                                                           procedures 
                                                                           were 
                                                                           performed: 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           Where 
                                                                           inappropriate 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           was 
                                                                           identified, 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           PwC 
                                                                           member 
                                                                           firm 
                                                                           in 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           UK 
                                                                           performed 
                                                                           procedures 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           understand 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           nature 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           access, 
                                                                           and, 
                                                                           where 
                                                                           possible, 
                                                                           obtained 
                                                                           additional 
                                                                           evidence 
                                                                           on 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           appropriateness 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           activities 
                                                                           performed; 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           We 
                                                                           performed 
                                                                           additional 
                                                                           substantive 
                                                                           testing 
                                                                           in 
                                                                           respect 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           selected 
                                                                           year-end 
                                                                           reconciliations 
                                                                           (i.e. 
                                                                           custodian, 
                                                                           bank 
                                                                           account 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           suspense 
                                                                           account 
                                                                           reconciliations) 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           confirmed 
                                                                           balances 
                                                                           with 
                                                                           external 
                                                                           counterparties; 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           We 
                                                                           performed 
                                                                           testing 
                                                                           on 
                                                                           other 
                                                                           compensating 
                                                                           controls 
                                                                           such 
                                                                           as 
                                                                           business 
                                                                           performance 
                                                                           reviews; 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           Testing 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           toxic 
                                                                           combination 
                                                                           controls 
                                                                           was 
                                                                           performed 
                                                                           by 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           PwC 
                                                                           member 
                                                                           firm 
                                                                           in 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           UK; 
                                                                           and 
 
                                                                           -- 
 
                                                                           We 
                                                                           obtained 
                                                                           a 
                                                                           list 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           users' 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           permissions 
                                                                           from 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           PwC 
                                                                           member 
                                                                           firm 
                                                                           in 
                                                                           the 
                                                                           UK 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           manually 
                                                                           compared 
                                                                           these 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           other 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           lists 
                                                                           where 
                                                                           segregation 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           duties 
                                                                           was 
                                                                           deemed 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           be 
                                                                           of 
                                                                           higher 
                                                                           risk, 
                                                                           for 
                                                                           example 
                                                                           users 
                                                                           having 
                                                                           access 
                                                                           to 
                                                                           both 
                                                                           core 
                                                                           banking 
                                                                           and 
                                                                           payments 
                                                                           systems. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018     5 
 

Independent Auditor's Report to the Shareholder of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

Other information

The Board of Directors is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the Report of the Directors (but does not include the consolidated financial statements and our auditor's report thereon).

Our opinion on the consolidated financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not and will not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the consolidated financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information identified above and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the consolidated financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.

If, based on the work we have performed on the other information, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

 
 
 
 Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for the consolidated 
  financial statements 
 

The Board of Directors is responsible for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements that give a true and fair view in accordance with IFRS as endorsed by the European Union and in accordance with the applicable regulatory requirements of the DFSA, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, the Board of Directors is responsible for assessing the group's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the group or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the group's financial reporting process.

 
 
 
 Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the consolidated financial statements 
 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

 
 
--  Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, 
     whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, 
     and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 
     The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for 
     one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, 
     misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. 
 
 
 
--  Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit 
     procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing 
     an opinion on the effectiveness of the group's internal control. 
 
 
 
--  Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting 
     estimates and related disclosures made by management. 
 
 
 
--  Conclude on the appropriateness of the Board of Directors' use of the going concern basis 
     of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists 
     related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the group's ability to 
     continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required 
     to draw attention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures in the consolidated financial 
     statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions 
     are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, 
     future events or conditions may cause the group to cease to continue as a going concern. 
 
 
 
--  Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the consolidated financial statements, 
     including the disclosures, and whether the consolidated financial statements represent the 
     underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation. 
 
 
 
--  Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities 
     or business activities within the group to express an opinion on the consolidated financial 
     statements. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group 
     audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion. 
 

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.

From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor's report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.

 
 
 
 
 
 6    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Report on other legal and regulatory requirements 
 

As required by the applicable provisions of the DFSA Rulebook, we report that the consolidated financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the DFSA.

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

19 February 2019

Audit Principal: David R Cox

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018     7 
 

Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Consolidated income statement 
 for the year ended 31 December 
                                                                                                 2018        2017 
                                                                                     Notes     US$000      US$000 
Net interest income                                                                           985,963     906,492 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ---------   --------- 
- interest income                                                                           1,209,267   1,062,823 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----- 
- interest expense                                                                           (223,304)   (156,331) 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ---------   --------- 
Net fee income                                                                                407,300     435,045 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ---------   --------- 
- fee income                                                                                  513,402     530,756 
- fee expense                                                                                (106,102)    (95,711) 
Net income from financial instruments held for trading or managed on a fair value 
 basis                                                                                        207,796     216,248 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ---------   --------- 
Changes in fair value of long-term debt and related derivatives                          3      1,558       4,988 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ---------   --------- 
Changes in fair value of other financial instruments mandatorily measured at fair 
 value through 
 profit or loss                                                                                (2,081)        N/A 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----- 
Net (losses)/gains from financial investments                                                  (7,064)     (5,015) 
                                                                                            --------- 
Dividend income                                                                                 1,242       3,872 
                                                                                            --------- 
Other operating income, net                                                                    87,197     126,320 
                                                                                     -----  ---------   --------- 
Net operating income before change in expected credit losses and other credit 
 impairment                                                                                 1,681,911   1,687,950 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ---------   --------- 
Change in expected credit losses and other credit impairment charges                     4   (127,620)        N/A 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ---------   --------- 
Loan impairment charges and other credit risk provisions                                 4        N/A    (149,912) 
                                                                                     -----  ---------   --------- 
Net operating income                                                                        1,554,291   1,538,038 
                                                                                                        --------- 
Employee compensation and benefits                                                       5   (548,790)   (522,261) 
                                                                                     -----  --------- 
General and administrative expenses                                                          (342,803)   (359,683) 
                                                                                     ----- 
Depreciation and impairment of property, plant and equipment                                  (14,045)    (13,364) 
                                                                                     ----- 
Amortisation and impairment of intangible assets                                               (6,109)     (5,663) 
                                                                                     -----  --------- 
Total operating expenses                                                                     (911,747)   (900,971) 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ---------   --------- 
Operating profit                                                                         4    642,544     637,067 
                                                                                     -----  ---------   --------- 
Share of profit in associates                                                           16        475         290 
                                                                                     ----- 
Profit before tax                                                                             643,019     637,357 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ---------   --------- 
Tax expense                                                                              7   (101,869)    (92,004) 
                                                                                     ----- 
Profit for the year                                                                           541,150     545,353 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ---------   --------- 
Attributable to: 
- shareholders of the parent company                                                          541,092     545,212 
                                                                                     ----- 
- non-controlling interests                                                                        58         141 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ---------   --------- 
Profit for the year                                                                           541,150     545,353 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ---------   --------- 
 

The accompanying notes on pages 13 to 79 form an integral part of these financial statements.

 
 
 
 
 
 8    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Consolidated statement of comprehensive income 
 for the year ended 31 December 
                                                                                                   2018      2017 
                                                                                                 US$000    US$000 
Profit for the year                                                                             541,150   545,353 
Other comprehensive income/(expense) 
                                                                                                          ---------- 
Items that will be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss when specific conditions are 
 met: 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  --------  ---------- 
Available-for-sale investments                                                                      N/A    (5,324) 
                                                                                                          ------- 
- fair value losses                                                                                 N/A    (7,225) 
- fair value gains/(losses) reclassified to the income statement                                    N/A      (801) 
- amounts reclassified to the income statement in respect of impairment losses                      N/A     2,652 
- income taxes                                                                                      N/A        50 
                                                                                                -------   ------- 
Debt instruments at fair value though other comprehensive income                                 (6,434)      N/A 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
- fair value losses                                                                              (6,762)      N/A 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
- fair value losses transferred to the income statement on disposal                                 160       N/A 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
- expected credit losses recognised in income statement                                            (161)      N/A 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
- income taxes                                                                                      329       N/A 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
Cash flow hedges                                                                                (12,043)   (3,997) 
                                                                                                          ------- 
- fair value losses                                                                             (13,381)   (4,441) 
- income taxes                                                                                    1,338       444 
                                                                                                -------   ------- 
Exchange differences                                                                             (7,399)  (10,662) 
                                                                                                -------   ------- 
Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: 
                                                                                                          ---------- 
Remeasurement of defined benefit asset/liability                                                 23,859   (15,162) 
                                                                                                          ------- 
- before income taxes                                                                            23,859   (16,553) 
- income taxes                                                                                        -     1,391 
                                                                                                -------   ------- 
Equity instruments designated at fair value through other comprehensive income                  (20,819)      N/A 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------            ------- 
- fair value losses                                                                             (20,819)      N/A 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
- income taxes                                                                                        -       N/A 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------            ------- 
Changes in fair value of financial liabilities designated at fair value upon initial 
 recognition 
 arising from changes in own credit risk                                                         18,801    (3,577) 
                                                                                                          ------- 
- fair value gain/(losses)                                                                       18,801    (3,577) 
- income taxes                                                                                        -         - 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
Other comprehensive expense for the year, net of tax                                             (4,035)  (38,722) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
Total comprehensive income for the year                                                         537,115   506,631 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
Attributable to: 
                                                                                                          ---------- 
- shareholders of the parent company                                                            537,057   506,490 
- non-controlling interests                                                                          58       141 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
Total comprehensive income for the year                                                         537,115   506,631 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
 

The accompanying notes on pages 13 to 79 form an integral part of these financial statements.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018     9 
 

Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Consolidated statement of financial position 
 at 31 December 
                                                                                                2018         2017 
                                                                                   Notes      US$000       US$000 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Assets 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Cash and balances at central banks                                                         1,170,359      671,440 
Items in the course of collection from other banks                                            81,984       64,419 
Trading assets                                                                        10     246,156      440,624 
                                                                                   ----- 
Financial assets designated and otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value 
through profit 
or loss                                                                                       47,839          N/A 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ---------- 
Derivatives                                                                           13     953,222      963,102 
Loans and advances to banks                                                           25   5,057,308    6,203,202 
Loans and advances to customers                                                       25  20,073,375   18,316,780 
Reverse repurchase agreements - non-trading                                                  755,076    1,387,254 
Financial investments                                                                 14   5,734,776    6,746,504 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Prepayments, accrued income and other assets                                          18   1,170,067      657,894 
Current tax assets                                                                                19        1,383 
Interests in associates                                                               16       2,423        1,948 
Intangible assets                                                                     19      31,465       10,502 
Deferred tax assets                                                                    7     204,982      205,857 
Total assets                                                                              35,529,051   35,670,909 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Liabilities and equity 
Liabilities 
Deposits by banks                                                                     25   1,582,477    1,798,474 
Customer accounts                                                                     25  21,823,507   22,583,649 
Repurchase agreements - non-trading                                                            2,999            - 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------         ----------   ---------- 
Items in the course of transmission to other banks                                           263,907       87,502 
Trading liabilities                                                                   20      59,023    1,309,860 
Financial liabilities designated at fair value                                        21   2,017,966      739,425 
Derivatives                                                                           13     951,976      952,332 
Debt securities in issue                                                              22   2,490,371    2,092,390 
Accruals, deferred income and other liabilities                                       23   1,615,180    1,619,693 
Current tax liabilities                                                                      106,394      110,141 
Provisions                                                                            24      66,151       71,608 
Total liabilities                                                                         30,979,951   31,365,074 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Equity 
Called up share capital                                                               28     931,055      931,055 
Share premium account                                                                 28      61,346       61,346 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Other reserves                                                                              (190,204)    (132,153) 
Retained earnings                                                                          3,742,607    3,441,349 
Total shareholders' equity                                                                 4,544,804    4,301,597 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Non-controlling interests                                                                      4,296        4,238 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Total equity                                                                               4,549,100    4,305,835 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Total liabilities and equity at 31 Dec                                                    35,529,051   35,670,909 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
 

The accompanying notes on pages 13 to 79 form an integral part of these financial statements.

G Elhedery

Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairman

 
 
 
 
 
 10   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Consolidated statement of cash flows 
 for the year ended 31 December 
                                                                                          2018         2017 
                                                                             Notes      US$000       US$000 
Cash flows from operating activities 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Profit before tax                                                                      643,019      637,357 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Adjustments for: 
Net gain from investing activities                                                          56      (14,450) 
Share of profits in associates                                                            (475)        (290) 
Gain on disposal of branches and associates                                                  -      (55,438) 
Other non-cash items included in profit before tax                              29     241,422      250,656 
                                                                                                 ---------- 
Change in operating assets                                                      29  (4,045,453)   1,460,278 
                                                                                    ----------   ---------- 
Change in operating liabilities                                                 29     689,332   (2,514,965) 
                                                                             ----- 
Elimination of exchange differences(1)                                                  (8,639)     (80,498) 
Tax paid                                                                              (104,252)    (121,794) 
                                                                                    ----------   ---------- 
Net cash used in operating activities                                               (2,584,990)    (439,144) 
Cash flows from investing activities 
Net cash flows from purchase and sale / maturity of financial investments              886,115     (424,081) 
                                                                                    ---------- 
Net cash flows from the purchase and sale of property, plant and equipment            (264,685)      18,359 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Net investment in intangible assets                                                    (27,098)      (4,061) 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Net cash outflow from increase in investment in associates                                (386)           - 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Net cash flow on disposal of businesses and associates                                       -      123,347 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------                      ---------- 
Net cash generated from / (used) in investing activities                               593,946     (286,436) 
                                                                                    ---------- 
Cash flows from financing activities 
Dividends paid to shareholders of the parent company                             8    (190,000)    (430,000) 
                                                                             ----- 
Net cash used in financing activities                                                 (190,000)    (430,000) 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents                                           (2,181,044)  (1,155,580) 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 Jan                                                   3,860,788    4,969,505 
Exchange differences in respect of cash and cash equivalents                               213       46,863 
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 Dec                                             29   1,679,957    3,860,788 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----  ----------   ---------- 
 
 
 
1  Adjustment to bring changes between opening and closing balance sheet amounts to average rates. 
    This is not done on a line-by-line basis, as details cannot be determined without unreasonable 
    expense. 
 

The accompanying notes on pages 13 to 79 form an integral part of these financial statements.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    11 
 

Financial Statements | Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Consolidated statement of changes in equity 
 for the year ended 31 December 
                                                        Other reserves 
                                          ------------------------------------------- 
                      Called 
                          up 
                       share 
                     capital               Financial      Cash                Merger       Total 
                         and               assets at      flow    Foreign        and      share-          Non- 
                       share   Retained        FVOCI   hedging   exchange      other    holders'   controlling       Total 
                     premium   earnings    reserves1   reserve    reserve   reserves      equity     interests      equity 
                      US$000     US$000       US$000    US$000     US$000     US$000      US$000        US$000      US$000 
-------------------           ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
At 31 Dec 2017       992,401  3,441,349        6,433    (7,354)  (115,911)   (15,321)  4,301,597         4,238   4,305,835 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Impact on 
 transition to IFRS 
 9                         -    (92,650)     (12,725)        -          -          -    (105,375)            -    (105,375) 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
At 1 Jan 2018        992,401  3,348,699       (6,292)   (7,354)  (115,911)   (15,321)  4,196,222         4,238   4,200,460 
                     -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Profit for the year        -    541,092            -         -          -          -     541,092            58     541,150 
                     -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Other comprehensive 
 income 
 (net of tax)              -     42,698      (27,258)  (12,042)    (7,433)         -      (4,035)            -      (4,035) 
------------------- 
- debt instruments 
 at fair value 
 through other 
 comprehensive 
 income                    -          -       (6,434)        -          -          -      (6,434)            -      (6,434) 
------------------- 
- equity 
 instruments 
 designated at fair 
 value through 
 other 
 comprehensive 
 income                    -          -      (20,819)        -          -          -     (20,819)            -     (20,819) 
------------------- 
- cash flow hedges         -          -            -   (12,043)         -          -     (12,043)            -     (12,043) 
------------------- 
- changes in fair 
 value of financial 
 liabilities 
 designated at fair 
 value arising from 
 changes 
 in own credit risk        -     18,801            -         -          -          -      18,801             -      18,801 
------------------- 
- remeasurement of 
 defined benefit 
 asset/liability           -     23,859            -         -          -          -      23,859             -      23,859 
------------------- 
- exchange 
 differences               -         38           (5)        1     (7,433)         -      (7,399)            -      (7,399) 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Total comprehensive 
 income for 
 the year                  -    583,790      (27,258)  (12,042)    (7,433)         -     537,057            58     537,115 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Ordinary share 
issued 
-------------------  -------  ----------  -----------  --------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ------------  ------------ 
Dividends to 
 shareholders              -   (190,000)           -         -          -          -    (190,000)            -    (190,000) 
                     -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Exercise and lapse 
 of share options 
 and vesting of 
 share awards                    (6,037)                                                  (6,037)                   (6,037) 
-------------------  -------  ---------   -----------  --------  ---------  ---------  ---------   -----------   --------- 
Cost of share-based 
 payment 
 arrangements              -     10,801            -         -          -          -      10,801             -      10,801 
                     -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Other movements            -     (4,646)       1,407         -          -          -      (3,239)            -      (3,239) 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
At 31 Dec 2018       992,401  3,742,607      (32,143)  (19,396)  (123,344)   (15,321)  4,544,804         4,296   4,549,100 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
 
                      Called 
                          up 
                       share               Available 
                     capital                    for-      Cash                Merger       Total 
                         and               Sale fair      flow    Foreign        and      share-          Non- 
                       share   Retained        value   hedging   exchange      other    holders'   controlling       Total 
                     premium   earnings   reserve(1)   reserve    reserve   reserves      equity     interests      equity 
                      US$000     US$000       US$000    US$000     US$000     US$000      US$000        US$000      US$000 
                     -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
At 1 Jan 2017        931,055  3,345,703       17,139    (3,358)  (105,220)   (15,321)  4,169,998         4,098   4,174,096 
Profit for the year        -    545,212            -         -          -          -     545,212           141     545,353 
Other comprehensive 
 income 
 (net of tax)              -    (18,804)      (5,231)   (3,996)   (10,691)         -     (38,722)            -     (38,722) 
- 
 available-for-sale 
 investments               -          -       (5,324)        -          -          -      (5,324)            -      (5,324) 
------------------- 
- cash flow hedges         -          -            -    (3,997)         -          -      (3,997)            -      (3,997) 
------------------- 
- changes in fair 
 value of financial 
 liabilities 
 designated at fair 
 value arising from 
 changes 
 in own credit risk        -     (3,577)           -         -          -          -      (3,577)            -      (3,577) 
------------------- 
- remeasurement of 
 defined benefit 
 asset/liability           -    (15,162)           -         -          -          -     (15,162)            -     (15,162) 
------------------- 
- exchange 
 differences               -        (65)          93         1    (10,691)         -     (10,662)            -     (10,662) 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Total comprehensive 
 income for 
 the year                  -    526,408       (5,231)   (3,996)   (10,691)         -     506,490           141     506,631 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Ordinary share 
 issued (Note 28)     61,346          -            -         -          -          -      61,346             -      61,346 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Dividends to 
 shareholders              -   (430,000)           -         -          -          -    (430,000)            -    (430,000) 
Exercise and lapse 
 of share options 
 and vesting of 
 share awards              -     (9,377)           -         -          -          -      (9,377)            -      (9,377) 
Cost of share-based 
 payment 
 arrangements              -      9,627            -         -          -          -       9,627             -       9,627 
                     -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
Other movements            -     (1,012)      (5,475)        -          -          -      (6,487)           (1)     (6,488) 
                     -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
At 31 Dec 2017       992,401  3,441,349        6,433    (7,354)  (115,911)   (15,321)  4,301,597         4,238   4,305,835 
-------------------  -------  ---------   ----------   -------   --------   --------   ---------   -----------   --------- 
 
 
 
1  US$6.4 million at 31 December 2017 represents the IAS 39 Available-for-sale fair value reserves 
    as at 31 December 2017. 
 

The accompanying notes on pages 13 to 79 form an integral part of these financial statements.

 
 
 
 
 
 12   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 1    Legal status and principal activities 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

The group has its place of incorporation and head office in Dubai International Financial Centre ('DIFC'), in the United Arab Emirates, under a category 1 licence issued by the Dubai Financial Services Authority ('DFSA').

The group's registered office is Level 1, Gate Village Building 8, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The group through its branch network and subsidiary undertakings provides a range of banking and related financial services in the Middle East and North Africa.

The immediate parent company of the group is HSBC Middle East Holdings BV and the ultimate parent company of the group is HSBC Holdings plc, which is incorporated in England.

 
 
 
 2    Basis of preparation and significant accounting policies 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
2.1  Basis of preparation 
 
 
 
(a)  Compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards 
 

The consolidated financial statements of the group and the separate financial statements of the group have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as issued by the IASB, including interpretations issued by the IFRS Interpretations Committee, and as endorsed by the European Union ('EU'). At 31 December 2018, there were no unendorsed standards effective for the year ended 31 December 2018 affecting these consolidated and separate financial statements, and HSBC's application of IFRSs results in no differences between IFRSs as issued by the IASB and IFRSs as endorsed by the EU.

Standards adopted during the year ended 31 December 2018

The group has adopted the requirements of IFRS 9 'Financial instruments' from 1 January 2018, with the exception of the provisions relating to the presentation of gains and losses on financial liabilities designated at fair value, which were adopted from 1 January 2017. The effect of its adoption is not significant. IFRS 9 includes an accounting policy choice to remain with IAS 39 hedge accounting, which the group has exercised. The classification and measurement and impairment requirements are applied retrospectively by adjusting the opening balance sheet at the date of initial application. As permitted by IFRS 9, the group has not restated comparatives. Adoption reduced net assets at 1 January 2018 by US$105.4 million as set out in Note 30.

In addition, the group has adopted the requirements of IFRS 15 'Revenue from contracts with customers' and a number of interpretations and amendments to standards which have had an insignificant effect on condensed consolidated financial statements of the group.

IFRS 9 transitional requirements

The transition requirements of IFRS 9 have necessitated a review of the designation of financial instruments at fair value. IFRS 9 requires that the designation is revoked where there is no longer an accounting mismatch at 1 January 2018 and permits designations to be revoked or additional designations created at 1 January 2018 if there are accounting mismatches at that date. As a result:

 
 
--  fair value designations for financial liabilities have been revoked where the accounting mismatch 
     no longer exists, as required by 
     IFRS 9; 
 
 
 
--  fair value designations have been revoked for certain long-dated securities where accounting 
     mismatches continue to exist, but where group has revoked the designation as permitted by 
     IFRS 9 since it will better mitigate the accounting mismatch by undertaking fair value hedge 
     accounting. 
 

The results of these changes are included in the reconciliation set out in Note 30.

Changes in accounting policy

While not necessarily required by the adoption of IFRS 9, the following voluntary changes in accounting policy and presentation have been made as a result of reviews carried out in conjunction with its adoption. The effect of presentational changes at 1 January 2018 is included in the reconciliation set out in Note 30 and comparatives have not been restated.

 
 
--  The group considered market practices for the presentation of certain financial liabilities 
     which contain both deposit and derivative components. The group concluded that a change in 
     accounting policy and presentation from 'trading customer accounts and other debt securities 
     in issue' would be appropriate, since it would better align with the presentation of similar 
     financial instruments by peers and therefore provide more relevant information about the effect 
     of these financial liabilities on our financial position and performance. As a result, rather 
     than being classified as held for trading, the group will designate these financial liabilities 
     as at fair value through profit or loss since they are managed and their performance evaluated 
     on a fair value basis. A further consequence of this change in presentation is that the effects 
     of changes in the liabilities' credit risk will be presented in other comprehensive income 
     with the remaining effect presented in profit or loss in accordance with the accounting policy 
     adopted in 2017 (following the adoption of the requirements in IFRS 9 relating to the presentation 
     of gains and losses on financial liabilities designated at fair value). 
 
 
 
--  Settlement accounts have been reclassified from 'Trading assets' to 'Prepayments, accrued 
     income and other assets' and from 'Trading liabilities' to 'Accruals, deferred income and 
     other liabilities'. The change in presentation for financial assets is in accordance with 
     IFRS 9 and the change in presentation for financial liabilities is considered to provide more 
     relevant information, given the change in presentation for the financial assets. The change 
     in presentation for financial liabilities has had no effect on measurement of these items 
     and therefore on retained earnings or profit for any period. 
 
 
 
(b)  Future accounting developments 
 

Minor amendments to IFRSs

The IASB has published a number of minor amendments to IFRSs which are effective from 1 January 2019, some of which have been endorsed for use in the EU. The group expects they will have an insignificant effect, when adopted, on the consolidated financial statements of the group.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    13 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Major new IFRSs

The IASB has published IFRS 16 'Leases' and IFRS 17 'Insurance contracts'. IFRS 16 has been endorsed for use in the EU and IFRS 17 has not yet been endorsed. In addition, an amendment to IAS 12 'Income Taxes' is not yet endorsed.

IFRS 16 'Leases'

IFRS 16 'Leases' has an effective date for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019. IFRS 16 results in lessees accounting for most leases within the scope of the standard in a manner similar to the way in which finance leases are currently accounted for under IAS 17 'Leases'. Lessees will recognise a right of use ('ROU') asset and a corresponding financial liability on the balance sheet. The asset will be amortised over the length of the lease, and the financial liability measured at amortised cost. Lessor accounting remains substantially the same as under IAS 17. At 1 January 2019, the group expects to adopt the standard using a modified retrospective approach where the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard is recognised an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings and comparatives are not restated.

The implementation is expected to increase assets (ROU assets) by US$ 52.7 million and increase financial liabilities by the same amount with no effect on net assets or retained earnings.

IFRS 17 'Insurance contracts'

IFRS 17 'Insurance contracts' was issued in May 2017, and sets out the requirements that an entity should apply in accounting for insurance contracts it issues and reinsurance contracts it holds. IFRS 17 is effective from 1 January 2021. The group has assessed the impact of IFRS 17 and expects that the standard will have no significant effect, when applied, on the consolidated financial statements of the group.

Amendment to IAS 12 'Income Taxes'

An amendment to IAS 12 was issued in December 2017 as part of the Annual Improvement Cycle. The amendment clarifies that an entity should recognise the tax consequences of dividends where the transactions or events that generated the distributable profits are recognised. This amendment will be effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019 and is applied to the income tax consequences of distributions recognised on or after the beginning of the earliest comparative period. As a consequence, income tax related to distributions on perpetual subordinated contingent convertible capital securities will be presented in profit or loss rather than equity.

 
 
(c)  Foreign currencies 
 

The group's consolidated financial statements are presented in US dollars because the US dollar and currencies linked to it form the major currency bloc in which the group transacts and funds its business. The US dollar is also the group's functional currency because the US dollar and currencies linked to it are the most significant currencies relevant to the underlying transactions, events and conditions of its subsidiaries, as well as representing a significant proportion of its funds generated from financing activities.

Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded in the functional currency at the rate of exchange prevailing on the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the rate of exchange at the balance sheet date. Any resulting exchange differences are included in the income statement. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are measured at historical cost in a foreign currency are translated into the functional currency using the rate of exchange at the date of the initial transaction. Non-monetary assets and liabilities measured at fair value in a foreign currency are translated into the functional currency using the rate of exchange at the date the fair value was determined. Any exchange component of a gain or loss on a non-monetary item is recognised either in other comprehensive income or in the income statement depending where the gain or loss on the underlying non-monetary item is recognised.

In the consolidated financial statements, the assets and liabilities of branches, subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates whose functional currency is not US dollars, are translated into the group's presentation currency at the rate of exchange at the balance sheet date, while their results are translated into US dollars at the average rates of exchange for the reporting period. Exchange differences arising from the retranslation of opening foreign currency net assets, and exchange differences arising from retranslation of the result for the reporting period from the average rate to the exchange rate at the period end, are recognised in other comprehensive income. Exchange differences on a monetary item that is part of a net investment in a foreign operation are recognised in the income statement of the separate financial statements and in other comprehensive income in consolidated accounts. On disposal of a foreign operation, exchange differences previously recognised in other comprehensive income are reclassified to the income statement as a reclassification adjustment.

 
 
(d)  Critical accounting estimates and judgements 
 

The preparation of financial information requires the use of estimates and judgements about future conditions. In view of the inherent uncertainties and the high level of subjectivity involved in the recognition or measurement of items highlighted as the critical accounting estimates and judgements in section 2.2 below, it is possible that the outcomes in the next financial year could differ from those on which management's estimates are based, resulting in materially different conclusions from those reached by management for the purposes of these financial statements. Management's selection of the group's accounting policies which contain critical estimates and judgements reflects the materiality of the items to which the policies are applied and the high degree of judgement and estimation uncertainty involved.

 
 
(e)  Segmental analysis 
 

The group's chief operating decision-maker is the Board. Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the Board.

Measurement of segmental assets, liabilities, income and expenses is in accordance with the group's accounting policies. Segmental income and expenses include transfers between segments, and these transfers are conducted at arm's length. Shared costs are included in segments on the basis of the actual recharges made.

 
 
 
 
 
 14   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Products and services

The group manages products and services to its customers in the geographical regions through global businesses.

 
 
--  Retail Banking and Wealth Management ('RBWM') serves its customers through four main businesses: 
     Retail Banking, Wealth Management, Asset Management and Insurance. The HSBC Premier and Advance 
     propositions are aimed at mass affluent and emerging affluent customers who value international 
     connectivity and benefit from the global reach and scale. For customers with simpler banking 
     needs, RBWM offers a full range of products and services reflecting local requirements. 
 
 
 
--  Commercial Banking ('CMB') customers range from small enterprises focused primarily on their 
     domestic markets through to corporates operating globally. CMB support customers with tailored 
     financial products and services to allow them to operate efficiently and grow. Services provided 
     include working capital, term loans, payment services and international trade facilitation, 
     as well as expertise in mergers and acquisitions, and access to financial markets. 
 
 
 
--  Global Banking and Markets ('GB&M') supports major government, corporate and institutional 
     clients. GB&M product specialists continue to deliver a comprehensive range of transaction 
     banking, financing, advisory, capital markets and risk management services. 
 
 
 
--  Global Private Banking ('GPB') serves high net worth individuals and families, including those 
     with international banking needs. GPB provides a full range of private banking services, including 
     Investment Management, which includes advisory and brokerage services, and Private Wealth 
     Solutions, which comprises trusts and estate planning, to protect and preserve wealth for 
     future generations. 
 
 
 
--  Corporate Centre comprises Central Treasury, including Balance Sheet Management ('BSM'), interests 
     in associates and central stewardship costs that support our businesses. 
 
 
 
2.2  Summary of significant accounting policies 
 
 
 
(a)  Consolidation and related policies 
 

Investments in subsidiaries

The group controls and consequently consolidates an entity when it is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity. Control is initially assessed based on consideration of all facts and circumstances, and is subsequently reassessed when there are significant changes to the initial setup.

Where an entity is governed by voting rights, the group would consolidate when it holds, directly or indirectly, the necessary voting rights to pass resolutions by the governing body. In all other cases, the assessment of control is more complex and requires judgement of other factors, including having exposure to variability of returns, power over the relevant activities or holding the power as agent or principal.

Business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method. The amount of non-controlling interest is measured at the non-controlling interest's proportionate share of the acquiree's identifiable net assets.

The group has adopted the policy of 'predecessor accounting' for the transfer of business combinations under common control within the HSBC Group. Under IFRS where both HSBC Group entities adopt the same method for accounting for common control transactions the excess of the cost of the purchased group entity over the carrying value is recorded as a merger reserve on consolidation.

Changes in a parent's ownership interest in a subsidiary that do not result in a loss of control are treated as transactions between equity holders and are reported in equity.

Entities that are controlled by the group are consolidated from the date the group gains control and cease to be consolidated on the date the group loses control of the entities.

The group performs a re-assessment of consolidation whenever there is a change in the facts and circumstances of determining the control of all entities.

All intra-group transactions are eliminated on consolidation.

The group sponsored structured entities

The group is considered to sponsor another entity if, in addition to ongoing involvement with the entity, it had a key role in establishing that entity or in bringing together the relevant counterparties to a structured transaction. The group is not considered a sponsor if the only involvement with the entity is to provide services at arms' length and it ceases to be a sponsor once it has no ongoing involvement with that structured.

Interests in associates and joint arrangements

Joint arrangements are investments in which the group, together with one or more parties, has joint control. Depending on the group's rights and obligations, the joint arrangement is classified as either a joint operation or a joint venture. The group classifies investments in entities over which it has significant influence, and that are neither subsidiaries nor joint arrangements, as associates.

The group recognises its share of the assets, liabilities and results in a joint operation. Investments in associates are recognised using the equity method. The attributable share of the results and reserves of associates are included in the consolidated financial statements of group based on either financial statements made up to 31 December or pro-rated amounts adjusted for any material transactions or events occurring between the date of financial statements available and 31 December. Investments in associates are assessed at each reporting date and tested for impairment when there is an indication that the investment may be impaired.

 
 
(b)  Income and expenses 
 

Operating income

Interest income and expense

Interest income and expense for all financial instruments except for those classified as held for trading or designated at fair value (except for debt securities issued by the group and derivatives managed in conjunction with those debt securities) are recognised in 'Interest income' and 'Interest expense' in the income statement using the effective interest method. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts or payments through the expected life of the financial instrument or, where appropriate, a shorter period, to the net carrying amount of the financial asset or financial liability.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    15 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Non-interest income and expense

The group generates fee income from services provided at a fixed price over time, such as account service and card fees, or when group delivers a specific transaction at the point in time such as broking services and import/export services. With the exception of certain fund management and performance fees, all other fees are generated at a fixed price. Fund management and performance fees can be variable depending on the size of the customer portfolio and group's performance as fund manager. Variable fees are recognised when all uncertainties are resolved. Fee income is generally earned from short term contracts with payment terms that do not include a significant financing component.

The group acts as principal in the majority of contracts with customers, with the exception of broking services. For most brokerage trades group acts as agent in the transaction and recognises broking income net of fees payable to other parties in the arrangement.

The group recognises fees earned on transaction-based arrangements at a point in time when we have fully provide the service to the customer. Where the contract requires services to be provided over time, income is recognised on a systematic basis over the life of the agreement.

Where group offers a package of services that contains multiple non-distinct performance obligations, such as those included in account service packages, the promised services are treated as a single performance obligation. If a package of services contains distinct performance obligations, such as those including both account and insurance services, the corresponding transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation based on the estimated stand-alone selling prices.

Dividend income is recognised when the right to receive payment is established. This is the ex-dividend date for listed equity securities, and usually the date when shareholders approve the dividend for unlisted equity securities.

Net income/(expense) from financial instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss includes the following:

 
 
--  'Net income from financial instruments held for trading or managed on a fair value basis'. 
     This element is comprised of the net trading income, which includes all gains and losses from 
     changes in the fair value of financial assets and financial liabilities held for trading, 
     together with the related interest income, expense and dividends; and it also includes all 
     gains and losses from changes in the fair value of derivatives that are managed in conjunction 
     with financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss 
 
 
 
--  'Net income/(expense)from assets and liabilities of insurance businesses, including related 
     derivatives,measured at fair value through profit or loss'. This includes interest income, 
     interest expense and dividend income in respect of financial assets and liabilities measured 
     at fair value through profit or loss; and those derivatives managed in conjunction with the 
     above which can be separately identifiable from other trading derivatives 
 
 
 
--  'Changes in fair value of long-term debt and related derivatives'. Interest on the external 
     long-term debt and interest cash flows on related derivatives is presented in interest expense 
 
 
 
--  'Changes in fair value of other financial instruments mandatorily measured at fair value through 
     profit or loss'. This includes interest on instruments which fail the SPPI test. 
 
 
 
(c)  Valuation of financial instruments 
 

All financial instruments are recognised initially at fair value. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The fair value of a financial instrument on initial recognition is generally its transaction price (that is, the fair value of the consideration given or received). However, if there is a difference between the transaction price and the fair value of financial instruments whose fair value is based on a quoted price in an active market or a valuation technique that uses only data from observable markets, the group recognises the difference as a trading gain or loss at inception (a 'day 1 gain or loss'). In all other cases, the entire day 1 gain or loss is deferred and recognised in the income statement over the life of the transaction either until the transaction matures or is closed out, the valuation inputs become observable or the group enters into an offsetting transaction.

The fair value of financial instruments is generally measured on an individual basis. However, in cases where the group manages a group of financial assets and liabilities according to its net market or credit risk exposure, the group measures the fair value of the group of financial instruments on a net basis but presents the underlying financial assets and liabilities separately in the financial statements, unless they satisfy the IFRS offsetting criteria.

Critical accounting estimates and judgements

 
 
 
The majority of valuation techniques employ only observable market data. However, certain 
 financial instruments are valued on the basis of valuation techniques that feature one or 
 more significant market inputs that are unobservable, and for them the measurement of fair 
 value is more judgemental. An instrument in its entirety is classified as valued using significant 
 unobservable inputs if, in the opinion of management, a significant proportion of the instrument's 
 inception profit or greater than 5% of the instrument's valuation is driven by unobservable 
 inputs. 'Unobservable' in this context means that there is little or no current market data 
 available from which to determine the price at which an arm's length transaction would be 
 likely to occur. It generally does not mean that there is no data available at all upon which 
 to base a determination of fair value (consensus pricing data may, for example, 
 be used). 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
(d)  Financial instruments measured at amortised cost 
 

Financial assets that are held to collect the contractual cash flows and that contain contractual terms that give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest, such as most loans and advances to banks and customers and some debt

securities, are measured at amortised cost. In addition, most financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost. The group accounts for regular way amortised cost financial instruments using trade date accounting. The carrying value of these financial assets at initial recognition includes any directly attributable transactions costs. If the initial fair value is lower than the cash amount advanced, such as in the case of some leveraged finance and syndicated lending activities, the difference is deferred and recognised over the life of the loan through the recognition of interest income.

The group may commit to underwriting loans on fixed contractual terms for specified periods of time. When the loan arising from the lending commitment is expected to be held for trading, the commitment to lend is recorded as a derivative. When the group intends to hold the loan, the loan commitment is included in the impairment calculations.

 
 
 
 
 
 16   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Non-trading reverse repurchase, repurchase and similar agreements

When debt securities are sold subject to a commitment to repurchase them at a predetermined price ('repos'), they remain on the balance sheet and a liability is recorded in respect of the consideration received. Securities purchased under commitments to resell ('reverse repos') are not recognised on the balance sheet and an asset is recorded in respect of the initial consideration paid. Non-trading repos and reverse repos are measured at amortised cost. The difference between the sale and repurchase price or between the purchase and resale price is treated as interest and recognised in net interest income over the life of the agreement.

Contracts that are economically equivalent to reverse repurchase or repurchase agreements (such as sales or purchases of debt securities entered into together with total return swaps with the same counterparty) are accounted for similarly to, and presented together with, reverse repurchase or repurchase agreements.

 
 
(e)  Financial assets measured at fair value through other comprehensive income ('FVOCI') 
 

Financial assets held for a business model that is achieved by both collecting contractual cash flows and selling and that contain contractual terms that give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest are measured at FVOCI. These comprise primarily debt securities. They are recognised on the trade date when the group enters into contractual arrangements to purchase and are normally derecognised when they are either sold or redeemed. They are subsequently remeasured at fair value and changes therein (except for those relating to impairment, interest income and foreign currency exchange gains and losses) are recognised in other comprehensive income until the assets are sold. Upon disposal, the cumulative gains or losses in other comprehensive income are recognised in the income statement as 'Gains less losses from financial instruments'. Financial assets measured at FVOCI are included in the impairment calculations and impairment is recognised in profit or loss.

 
 
(f)  Equity securities measured at fair value with fair value movements presented in OCI 
 

The equity securities for which fair value movements are shown in OCI are business facilitation and other similar investments where the group holds the investments other than to generate a capital return. Gains or losses on the derecognition of these equity securities are not transferred to profit or loss. Otherwise equity securities are measured at fair value through profit or loss (except for dividend income which is recognised in profit or loss).

 
 
(g)  Financial instruments designated at fair value through profit or loss 
 

Financial instruments, other than those held for trading, are classified in this category if they meet one or more of the criteria set out below and are so designated irrevocably at inception:

 
 
--  the use of the designation removes or significantly reduces an accounting mismatch; 
 
 
 
--  when a group of financial assets and liabilities or a group of financial liabilities is managed 
     and its performance is evaluated on a fair value basis, in accordance with a documented risk 
     management or investment strategy; and 
 
 
 
--  where the financial liability contains one or more non-closely related embedded derivatives. 
 

Designated financial assets are recognised when the group enters into contracts with counterparties, which is generally on trade date, and are normally derecognised when the rights to the cash flows expire or are transferred. Designated financial liabilities are recognised when the group enters into contracts with counterparties, which is generally on settlement date, and are normally derecognised when extinguished. Subsequent changes in fair values are recognised in the income statement in 'Net income from financial instruments held for trading or managed on a fair value basis.

Under the above criterion, the main classes of financial instruments designated by the group are:

 
 
--  Long-term debt issues. 
 

The interest and/or foreign exchange exposure on certain fixed rate debt securities issued has been matched with the interest and/or foreign exchange exposure on certain swaps as part of a documented risk management strategy.

 
 
(h)  Derivatives 
 

Derivatives are financial instruments that derive their value from the price of underlying items such as equities, interest rates or other indices. Derivatives are recognised initially and are subsequently measured at fair value through profit and loss. Derivatives are classified as assets when their fair value is positive or as liabilities when their fair value is negative. This includes embedded derivatives in financial liabilities which are bifurcated from the host contract when they meet the definition of a derivative on a stand-alone basis.

Where the derivatives are managed with debt securities issued by the group that are designated at fair value, the contractual interest is shown in 'Interest expense' together with the interest payable on the issued debt.

Hedge accounting

When derivatives are not part of fair value designated relationships, if held for risk management purposes they are designated in hedge accounting relationships where the required criteria for documentation and hedge effectiveness are met. Group uses these derivatives or, where allowed, other non-derivative hedging instruments in fair value hedges, cash flow hedges or hedges of net investments in foreign operations as appropriate to the risk being hedged.

Fair value hedge

Fair value hedge accounting does not change the recording of gains and losses on derivatives and other hedging instruments, but results in recognising changes in the fair value of the hedged assets or liabilities attributable to the hedged risk that would not otherwise be recognised in the income statement. If a hedge relationship no longer meets the criteria for hedge accounting, hedge accounting is discontinued; the cumulative adjustment to the carrying amount of the hedged item is amortised to the income statement on a recalculated effective interest rate, unless the hedged item has been derecognised, in which case it is recognised in the income statement immediately.

Cash flow hedge

The effective portion of gains and losses on hedging instruments is recognised in other comprehensive income; the ineffective portion

of the change in fair value of derivative hedging instruments that are part of a cash flow hedge relationship is recognised immediately

in the income statement within 'Net income from financial instruments held for trading or managed on a fair value basis'. The accumulated gains and losses recognised in other comprehensive income are reclassified to the income statement in the same periods in which the hedged item affects profit or loss. In hedges of forecast transactions that result in recognition of a non-financial asset or

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    17 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

liability, previous gains and losses recognised in other comprehensive income are included in the initial measurement of the asset or liability. When a hedge relationship is discontinued, or partially discontinued, any cumulative gain or loss recognised in other comprehensive income remains in equity until the forecast transaction is recognised in the income statement. When a forecast transaction is no longer expected to occur, the cumulative gain or loss previously recognised in other comprehensive income is immediately reclassified to the income statement.

Net investment hedge

Hedges of net investments in foreign operations are accounted for in a similar way to cash flow hedges. The effective portion of gains and losses on the hedging instrument is recognised in other comprehensive income; other gains and losses are recognised immediately in the income statement. Gains and losses previously recognised in other comprehensive income are reclassified to the income statement on the disposal, or part disposal, of the foreign operation.

Derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting

Non-qualifying hedges are derivatives entered into as economic hedges of assets and liabilities for which hedge accounting was not applied.

Critical accounting estimates and judgements

 
 
 
Various jurisdictions are in the process of replacing existing interbank benchmark unsecured 
 interbank lending rates with alternative risk free rates, and different jurisdictions are 
 moving at different speeds with different solutions for replacements. There is uncertainty 
 as to the timing and the method of transition for many products, and whether some existing 
 benchmarks will continue to be supported in some way. Judgement is needed to determine how 
 the existing hedge accounting relationships are impacted by the transition. On balance, there 
 is sufficient support for continuing hedge accounting for those relationships which are impacted. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
(i)  Impairment of amortised cost and FVOCI financial assets 
 

Expected credit losses are recognised for loans and advances to banks and customers, non-trading reverse repurchase agreements, other financial assets held at amortised cost, debt instruments measured at fair value through other comprehensive income, and certain loan commitments and financial guarantee contracts. At initial recognition, allowance (or provision in the case of some loan commitments and financial guarantees) is required for ECL resulting from default events that are possible within the next 12 months (or less, where the remaining life is less than 12 months) ('12-month ECL'). In the event of a significant increase in credit risk, allowance (or provision) is required for ECL resulting from all possible default events over the expected life of the financial instrument ('lifetime ECL'). Financial assets where 12-month ECL is recognised are considered to be 'stage 1'; financial assets which are considered to have experienced a significant increase in credit risk are in 'stage 2'; and financial assets for which there is objective evidence of impairment so are considered to be in default or otherwise credit-impaired are in 'stage 3'. Purchased or originated credit-impaired financial assets (POCI) are treated differently as set out below.

Credit-impaired (stage 3)

The group determines that a financial instrument is credit-impaired and in stage 3 by considering relevant objective evidence, primarily whether:

 
 
--  contractual payments of either principal or interest are past due for more than 90 days; 
 
 
 
--  there are other indications that the borrower is unlikely to pay such as that a concession 
     has been granted to the borrower for economic or legal reasons relating to the borrower's 
     financial condition; and 
 
 
 
--  the loan is otherwise considered to be in default. 
 

If such unlikeliness to pay is not identified at an earlier stage, it is deemed to occur when an exposure is 90 days past due, even where regulatory rules permit default to be defined based on 180 days past due. Therefore the definitions of credit-impaired and default are aligned as far as possible so that stage 3 represents all loans which are considered defaulted or otherwise credit-impaired.

Interest income is recognised by applying the effective interest rate to the amortised cost amount, i.e. gross carrying amount less ECL allowance.

Write-off

Financial assets (and the related impairment allowances) are normally written off, either partially or in full, when there is no realistic prospect of recovery. Where loans are secured, this is generally after receipt of any proceeds from the realisation of security. In circumstances where the net realisable value of any collateral has been determined and there is no reasonable expectation of further recovery, write-off may be earlier.

Renegotiation

Loans are identified as renegotiated and classified as credit- impaired when we modify the contractual payment terms due to significant credit distress of the borrower. Renegotiated loans remain classified as credit-impaired until there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate a significant reduction in the risk of non-payment of future cash flows and retain the designation of renegotiated until maturity or derecognition.

A loan that is renegotiated is derecognised if the existing agreement is cancelled and a new agreement is made on substantially different terms or if the terms of an existing agreement are modified such that the renegotiated loan is a substantially different financial instrument. Any new loans that arise following derecognition events in these circumstances are considered to be purchased or originated credit-impaired (POCI) and will continue to be disclosed as renegotiated loans.

Other than originated credit-impaired loans, all other modified loans could be transferred out of stage 3 if they no longer exhibit any evidence of being credit-impaired and, in the case of renegotiated loans, there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate a significant reduction in the risk of non-payment of future cash flows, over the minimum observation period, and there are no other indicators of impairment. These loans could be transferred to stage 1 or 2 based on the mechanism as described below by comparing the risk of a default occurring at the reporting date (based on the modified contractual terms) and the risk of a default occurring at initial recognition (based on the original, unmodified contractual terms). Any amount written off as a result of the modification of contractual terms would not be reversed.

 
 
 
 
 
 18   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Loan modifications that are not credit-impaired

Loan modifications that are not identified as renegotiated are considered to be commercial restructuring. Where a commercial restructuring results in a modification (whether legalised through an amendment to the existing terms or the issuance of a new loan contract) such that group's rights to the cash flows under the original contract have expired, the old loan is derecognised and the new loan is recognised at fair value. The rights to cash flows are generally considered to have expired if the commercial restructure is at market rates and no payment-related concession has been provided.

Significant increase in credit risk (stage 2)

An assessment of whether credit risk has increased significantly since initial recognition is performed at each reporting period by considering the change in the risk of default occurring over the remaining life of the financial instrument. The assessment explicitly or implicitly compares the risk of default occurring at the reporting date compared to that at initial recognition, taking into account reasonable and supportable information, including information about past events, current conditions and future economic conditions. The assessment is unbiased, probability-weighted, and to the extent relevant, uses forward-looking information consistent with that used in the measurement of ECL. The analysis of credit risk is multifactor. The determination of whether a specific factor is relevant and its weight compared with other factors depends on the type of product, the characteristics of the financial instrument and the borrower, and the geographical region. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a single set of criteria that will determine what is considered to be a significant increase in credit risk and these criteria will differ for different types of lending, particularly between retail and wholesale. However, unless identified at an earlier stage, all financial assets are deemed to have suffered a significant increase in credit risk when 30 days past due. In addition, wholesale loans that are individually assessed, typically corporate and commercial customers, and included on a watch or worry list are included in stage 2.

For wholesale portfolios, the quantitative comparison assesses default risk using a lifetime probability of default which encompasses a wide range of information including the obligor's customer risk rating, macroeconomic condition forecasts and credit transition probabilities. Significant increase in credit risk is measured by comparing the average PD for the remaining term estimated at origination with the equivalent estimation at reporting date (or that the origination PD has doubled in the case of origination CRR greater than 3.3). The significance of changes in PD was informed by expert credit risk judgement, referenced to historical credit migrations and to relative changes in external market rates. The quantitative measure of significance varies depending on the credit quality at origination as follows:

 
 
 
Origination CRR                     Significance trigger - PD to increase by 
0.1-1.2                             15bps 
2.1-3.3                             30 bps 
Greater than 3.3 and not impaired                       2x 
----------------------------------  ----------------------  ---------------------- 
 

For loans originated prior to the implementation of IFRS 9, the origination PD does not include adjustments to reflect expectations of future macroeconomic conditions since these are not available without the use of hindsight. In the absence of this data, origination PD must be approximated assuming through-the-cycle ('TTC') PDs and TTC migration probabilities, consistent with the instrument's underlying modelling approach and the CRR at origination. For these loans, the quantitative comparison is supplemented with additional CRR deterioration based thresholds as set out in the table below:

 
 
 
                                    Additional significance criteria - Number of CRR grade notches deterioration 
                                    required to identify 
Origination CRR                     as significant credit deterioration (stage 2) (> or equal to) 
0.1                                 5 notches 
----------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
1.1-4.2                             4 notches 
----------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
4.3-5.1                             3 notches 
----------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
5.2-7.1                             2 notches 
                                    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
7.2-8.2                             1 notch 
----------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
8.3                                 0 notch 
----------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Further information about the 23-grade scale used for CRR can be found on page 58.

For certain portfolios of debt securities where external market ratings are available and credit ratings are not used in credit risk management, the debt securities will be in stage 2 if their credit risk increases to the extent they are no longer considered investment grade. Investment grade is where the financial instrument has a low risk of incurring losses, the structure has a strong capacity to meet its contractual cash flow obligations in the near term and adverse changes in economic and business conditions in the longer term may, but will not necessarily, reduce the ability of the borrower to fulfil their contractual cash flow obligations.

For retail portfolios, default risk is assessed using a reporting date 12-month PD derived from credit scores which incorporate all available information about the customer. This PD is adjusted for the effect of macroeconomic forecasts for periods longer than 12 months and is considered to be a reasonable approximation of a lifetime PD measure. Retail exposures are first segmented into homogeneous portfolios, generally by country, product and brand. Within each portfolio, the stage 2 accounts are defined as accounts with an adjusted 12-month PD greater than the average 12-month PD of loans in that portfolio 12 months before they become 30 days past due. The expert credit risk judgement is that no prior increase in credit risk is significant. This portfolio-specific threshold identifies loans with a PD higher than would be expected from loans that are performing as originally expected and higher than that which would have been acceptable at origination. It therefore approximates a comparison of origination to reporting date PDs.

Unimpaired and without significant increase in credit risk - (stage 1)

ECL resulting from default events that are possible within the next 12 months ('12-month ECL') are recognised for financial instruments that remain in stage 1.

Purchased or originated credit-impaired

Financial assets that are purchased or originated at a deep discount that reflects the incurred credit losses are considered to be POCI. This population includes the recognition of a new financial instrument following a renegotiation where concessions have been granted for economic or contractual reasons relating to the borrower's financial difficulty that otherwise would not have been considered. The amount of change-in-lifetime ECL is recognised in profit or loss until the POCI is derecognised, even if the lifetime ECL are less than the amount of ECL included in the estimated cash flows on initial recognition.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    19 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Movement between stages

Financial assets can be transferred between the different categories (other than POCI) depending on their relative increase in credit risk since initial recognition. Financial instruments are transferred out of stage 2 if their credit risk is no longer considered to be significantly increased since initial recognition based on the assessments described above. Except for renegotiated loans, financial instruments are transferred out of stage 3 when they no longer exhibit any evidence of credit impairment as described above. Renegotiated loans that are not POCI will continue to be in stage 3 until there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate a significant reduction in the risk of non-payment of future cash flows, observed over a minimum one-year period and there are no other indicators of impairment. For loans that are assessed for impairment on a portfolio basis, the evidence typically comprises a history of payment performance against the original or revised terms, as appropriate to the circumstances. For loans that are assessed for impairment on an individual basis, all available evidence is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Measurement of ECL

The assessment of credit risk, and the estimation of ECL, are unbiased and probability-weighted, and incorporate all available information which is relevant to the assessment including information about past events, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future events and economic conditions at the reporting date. In addition, the estimation of ECL should take into account the time value of money.

In general, the group calculates ECL using three main components, a probability of default, a loss given default and the exposure at default ('EAD').

The 12-month ECL is calculated by multiplying the 12-month PD, LGD and EAD. Lifetime ECL is calculated using the lifetime PD instead. The 12-month and lifetime PDs represent the probability of default occurring over the next 12 months and the remaining maturity of the instrument respectively.

The EAD represents the expected balance at default, taking into account the repayment of principal and interest from the balance sheet date to the default event together with any expected drawdowns of committed facilities. The LGD represents expected losses on the EAD given the event of default, taking into account, among other attributes, the mitigating effect of collateral value at the time it is expected to be realised and the time value of money.

The group leverages the Basel II IRB framework where possible, with recalibration to meet the differing IFRS 9 requirements as follows.

 
 
 
Model    Regulatory capital              IFRS 9 
PD       --                              -- 
                                          Point 
          Through                         in 
          the                             time 
          cycle                           (based 
          (represents                     on 
          long-run                        current 
          average                         conditions, 
          PD                              adjusted 
          throughout                      to 
          a                               take 
          full                            into 
          economic                        account 
          cycle)                          estimates 
                                          of 
          --                              future 
                                          conditions 
          The                             that 
          definition                      will 
          of                              impact 
          default                         PD) 
          includes                        -- 
          a                               Default 
          backstop                        backstop 
          of                              of 
          90+                             90+ 
          days                            days 
          past                            past 
          due,                            due 
          this                            for 
          has                             all 
          been                            portfolios 
          modified 
          to 
          180+ 
          days 
          past 
          due 
          for 
          some 
          portfolios. 
                                         ------------------------------ 
EAD      --                              -- 
          Cannot                          Amortisation 
          be                              captured 
          lower                           for 
          than                            term 
          current                         products 
          balance 
-------  ------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
LGD      --                              -- 
          Downturn                        Expected 
          LGD                             LGD 
          (consistent                     (based 
          losses                          on 
          expected                        estimate 
          to                              of 
          be                              loss 
          suffered                        given 
          during                          default 
          a                               including 
          severe                          the 
          but                             expected 
          plausible                       impact 
          economic                        of 
          downturn)                       future 
          --                              economic 
          Regulatory                      conditions 
          floors                          such 
          may                             as 
          apply                           changes 
          to                              in 
          mitigate                        value 
          risk                            of 
          of                              collateral) 
          underestimating                 -- 
          downturn                        No 
          LGD                             floors 
          due                             -- 
          to                              Discounted 
          lack                            using 
          of                              the 
          historical                      original 
          data                            effective 
          --                              interest 
          Discounted                      rate 
          using                           of 
          cost                            the 
          of                              loan 
          capital                         -- 
          --                              Only 
          All                             costs 
          collection                      associated 
          costs                           with 
          included                        obtaining/selling 
                                          collateral 
                                          included 
-------  ------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
Other                                    -- 
                                          Discounted 
                                          back 
                                          from 
                                          point 
                                          of 
                                          default 
                                          to 
                                          balance 
                                          sheet 
                                          date 
-------  ------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
 

While 12-month PDs are recalibrated from Basel models where possible, the lifetime PDs are determined by projecting the 12-month PD using a term structure. For the wholesale methodology, the lifetime PD also takes into account credit migration, i.e. a customer migrating through the CRR bands over its life.

The ECL for wholesale stage 3 is determined on an individual basis using a discounted cash flow ('DCF') methodology. The expected future cash flows are based on the credit risk officer's estimates as at the reporting date, reflecting reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections of future recoveries and expected future receipts of interest. Collateral is taken into account if it is likely that the recovery of the outstanding amount will include realisation of collateral based on its estimated fair value of collateral at the time of expected realisation, less costs for obtaining and selling the collateral. The cash flows are discounted at a reasonable approximation of the original effective interest rate. For significant cases, cash flows under four different scenarios are probability-weighted by reference to the three economic scenarios applied more generally by the Group and the judgement of the credit risk officer in relation to the likelihood of the workout strategy succeeding or receivership being required. For less significant cases, the effect of different economic scenarios and work-out strategies is approximated and applied as an adjustment to the most likely outcome.

Period over which ECL is measured

Expected credit loss is measured from the initial recognition of the financial asset. The maximum period considered when measuring ECL (be it 12-month or lifetime ECL) is the maximum contractual period over which the group is exposed to credit risk. For wholesale overdrafts, credit risk management actions are taken no less frequently than on an annual basis and therefore this period is to the expected date of the next substantive credit review. The date of the substantive credit review also represents the initial recognition of the new facility. However, where the financial instrument includes both a drawn and undrawn commitment and the contractual ability to demand repayment and cancel the undrawn commitment does not serve to limit group's exposure to credit risk to the contractual notice period, the contractual period does not determine the maximum period considered. Instead, ECL is measured over the period the group remains exposed to credit risk that is not mitigated by credit risk management actions. This applies to retail overdrafts and credit cards, where the period is the average time taken for stage 2 exposures to default or close as performing accounts, determined on a portfolio basis and ranging from between two and six years. In addition, for these facilities it is not possible to identify the ECL on the loan commitment component separately from the financial asset component. As a result, the total ECL is recognised in the loss allowance

for the financial asset unless the total ECL exceeds the gross carrying amount of the financial asset, in which case the ECL is recognised as a provision.

Forward-looking economic inputs

The group will in general apply three forward-looking global economic scenarios determined with reference to external forecast distributions representative of our view of forecast economic conditions, the Consensus Economic Scenario approach. This approach is

 
 
 
 
 
 20   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

considered sufficient to calculate unbiased expected loss in most economic environments. They represent a 'most likely outcome' (the Central scenario) and two, less likely, 'Outer' scenarios, referred to as the Upside and Downside scenarios. The Central scenario is used

by the annual operating planning process and, with regulatory modifications, will also be used in enterprise-wide stress tests. The Upside and Downside are constructed following a standard process supported by a scenario narrative reflecting the Group's current top and emerging risks and by consulting external and internal subject matter experts. The relationship between the Outer scenarios and Central scenario will generally be fixed with the Central scenario being assigned a weighting of 80% and the Upside and Downside scenarios 10% each, with the difference between the Central and Outer scenarios in terms of economic severity being informed by the spread of external forecast distributions among professional industry forecasts. The Outer scenarios are economically plausible, internally

consistent states of the world and will not necessarily be as severe as scenarios used in stress testing. The period of forecast is five years, after which the forecasts will revert to a view based on average past experience. The spread between the central and outer scenarios is grounded on consensus distributions of projected gross domestic product of UAE. The economic factors include, but are not limited to, gross domestic product, unemployment, interest rates, inflation and commercial property prices across all the countries in which the group operates.

In general, the consequences of the assessment of credit risk and the resulting ECL outputs will be probability-weighted using the standard probability weights. This probability weighting may be applied directly or the effect of the probability weighting determined on a periodic basis, at least annually, and then applied as an adjustment to the outcomes resulting from the central economic forecast. The central economic forecast is updated quarterly.

The group recognises that the Consensus Economic Scenario approach using three scenarios will be insufficient in certain economic environments. Additional analysis may be requested at management's discretion, including the production of extra scenarios. If conditions warrant, this could result in a management overlay for economic uncertainty which is included in the ECL

Critical accounting estimates and judgements

 
 
 
In determining ECL, management is required to exercise judgement in defining what is considered 
 to be a significant increase in credit risk and in making assumptions and estimates to incorporate 
 relevant information about past events, current conditions and forecasts of economic conditions. 
 Judgement has been applied in determining the lifetime and point of initial recognition of 
 revolving facilities. 
 The PD, LGD and EAD models which support these determinations are reviewed regularly in light 
 of differences between loss estimates and actual loss experience, but given that IFRS 9 requirements 
 have only just been applied, there has been little time available to make these comparisons. 
 Therefore, the underlying models and their calibration, including how they react to forward-looking 
 economic conditions, remain subject to review and refinement. This is particularly relevant 
 for lifetime PDs, which have not been previously used in regulatory modelling and for the 
 incorporation of 'Upside scenarios' which have not generally been subject to experience gained 
 through stress testing. 
 The exercise of judgement in making estimations requires the use of assumptions which are 
 highly subjective and very sensitive to the risk factors, in particular to changes in economic 
 and credit conditions across a large number of geographical areas. Many of the factors have 
 a high degree of interdependency and there is no single factor to which loan impairment allowances 
 as a whole are sensitive. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
(j)  Employee compensation and benefits 
 

Share-based payments

Shares in HSBC Holdings plc are awarded to employees in certain cases. Equity-settled share-based payment arrangements entitle employees to receive equity instruments of HSBC.

The vesting period for these schemes may commence before the grant date if the employees have started to render services in respect of the award before the grant date. Expenses are recognised when the employee starts to render service to which the award relates.

Cancellations result from the failure to meet a non-vesting condition during the vesting period, and are treated as an acceleration of vesting recognised immediately in the income statement. Failure to meet a vesting condition by the employee is not treated as a cancellation, and the amount of expense recognised for the award is adjusted to reflect the number of awards expected to vest.

Post-employment benefit plans

The group contributes to the Government pension and social security schemes in the countries in which it operates, as per local regulations. Where the group's obligations under the plans are equivalent to a defined contribution plan the payments made are charged as an expense as they fall due. End of service benefits are calculated and paid in accordance with local law. The group's net obligation in respect of such end of service benefits is the amount of future benefits that employees have earned in return for their service in current and prior periods.

Defined benefit pension obligations are calculated using the projected unit credit method. The net charge to the income statement mainly comprises the service cost and the net interest on the net defined benefit asset or liability, and is presented in operating expenses.

Re-measurements of the net defined benefit asset or liability, which comprise actuarial gains and losses, return on plan assets excluding interest and the effect of the asset ceiling (if any, excluding interest), are recognised immediately in other comprehensive income. The net defined benefit asset or liability represents the present value of defined benefit obligations reduced by the fair value of plan assets, after applying the asset ceiling test, where the net defined benefit surplus is limited to the present value of available refunds and reductions in future contributions to the plan.

The cost of obligations arising from other post-employment plans are accounted for on the same basis as defined benefit pension plans.

The group also makes contributions to the HSBC International Staff Retirement Benefit Scheme in respect of a small number of International Managers being seconded to the group by the HSBC Group. The group accounts for contributions to this scheme as if it is a defined contribution scheme on the basis that any actuarial gains and losses would not be material.

 
 
(k)  Tax 
 

Income tax comprises current tax and deferred tax. Income tax is recognised in the income statement except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity, in which case it is recognised in the same statement in which the related item appears.

Current tax is the tax expected to be payable on the taxable profit for the year and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous years. The group provides for potential current tax liabilities that may arise on the basis of the amounts expected to be paid to the tax authorities.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    21 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Deferred tax is recognised on temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities in the balance sheet and the amounts attributed to such assets and liabilities for tax purposes. Deferred tax is calculated using the tax rates expected to apply in the periods in which the assets will be realised or the liabilities settled.

Current and deferred tax is calculated based on tax rates and laws enacted, or substantively enacted, by the balance sheet date.

Critical accounting estimates and judgements

 
 
 
The recognition of a deferred tax asset relies on an assessment of the probability and sufficiency 
 of future taxable profits, future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and 
 ongoing tax planning strategies. In the absence of a history of taxable profits, the most 
 significant judgements relate to expected future profitability and to the applicability of 
 tax planning strategies. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
(l)  Debt securities in issue 
 

Financial liabilities for debt securities issued are recognised when the group enters into contractual arrangements with counterparties and are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the consideration received, net of directly attributable transaction costs incurred. Subsequent measurement of financial liabilities, other than those measured at fair value through profit or loss and financial guarantees, is at amortised cost, using the effective interest method to amortise the difference between proceeds received, net of directly attributable transaction costs incurred, and the redemption amount over the expected life.

 
 
(m)  Provisions, contingent liabilities and guarantees 
 

Provisions

Provisions are recognised when it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required to settle a present legal or constructive obligation which has arisen as a result of past events and for which a reliable estimate can be made.

Critical accounting estimates and judgements

 
 
 
Judgement is involved in determining whether a present obligation exists and in estimating 
 the probability, timing and amount of any outflows. 
 Professional expert advice is taken on the assessment of litigation, property (including 
 onerous contracts) and similar obligations. Provisions for legal 
 proceedings and regulatory matters typically require a higher degree of judgement than other 
 types of provisions. When matters are at an early stage, 
 accounting judgements can be difficult because of the high degree of uncertainty associated 
 with determining whether a present obligation exists, and estimating the probability and amount 
 of any outflows that may arise. As matters progress, management and legal advisers evaluate 
 on an ongoing basis whether provisions should be recognised, revising previous judgements 
 and estimates as appropriate. At more advanced stages, it is typically easier to make judgements 
 and estimates around a better defined set of possible outcomes. However, the amount provisioned 
 can remain very sensitive to the assumptions used. There could be a wide range of possible 
 outcomes for any pending legal proceedings, investigations or inquiries. As a result, it is 
 often not practicable to quantify a range of possible outcomes for individual matters. It 
 is also not practicable to meaningfully quantify ranges of potential outcomes in aggregate 
 for these types of provisions because of the diverse nature and circumstances of such matters 
 and the wide range of uncertainties involved. Provisions for customer remediation also require 
 significant levels of estimation and judgement. The amounts of provisions recognised depend 
 on a number of different assumptions, such as the volume of inbound complaints, the projected 
 period of inbound complaint volumes, the decay rate of complaint volumes, the population identified 
 as systemically mis-sold and the number of policies per customer complaint. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Contingent liabilities, contractual commitments and guarantees

Contingent liabilities

Contingent liabilities, which include certain guarantees and letters of credit pledged as collateral security and contingent liabilities related to legal proceedings or regulatory matters, are not recognised in the financial statements but are disclosed unless the probability of settlement is remote.

Financial guarantee contracts

Liabilities under financial guarantee contracts which are not classified as insurance contracts are recorded initially at their fair value, which is generally the fee received or present value of the fee receivable.

 
 
(n)  Acceptances and endorsements 
 

Acceptances arise when the group is under an obligation to make payments against documents drawn under letters of credit. Acceptances specify the amount of money, the date, and the person to which the payment is due. After acceptance, the instrument becomes an unconditional liability of the group and is therefore recognised as a financial liability with a corresponding contractual right of reimbursement from the customer recognised as a financial asset.

 
 
(o)  Accounting policies applied to financial instruments prior to 1 January 2018 
 

Financial instruments measured at amortised cost

Loans and advances to banks and customers, held-to-maturity investments and most financial liabilities are measured at amortised cost. The carrying value of these financial assets at initial recognition includes any directly attributable transactions costs. If the initial fair value is lower than the cash amount advanced, such as in the case of some leveraged finance and syndicated lending activities, the difference is deferred and recognised over the life of the loan (as described in sub-section (c) above) through the recognition of interest income, unless the loan becomes impaired.

The group may commit to underwriting loans on fixed contractual terms for specified periods of time. When the loan arising from the lending commitment is expected to be held for trading, the commitment to lend is recorded as a derivative. When the group intends to hold the loan, a provision on the loan commitment is only recorded where it is probable that HSBC will incur a loss.

Impairment of loans and advances

Losses for impaired loans are recognised when there is objective evidence that impairment of a loan or portfolio of loans has occurred. Losses which may arise from future events are not recognised.

Individually assessed loans and advances

The factors considered in determining whether a loan is individually significant for the purposes of assessing impairment include the size of the loan, the number of loans in the portfolio, the importance of the individual loan relationship and how this is managed. Loans that are determined to be individually significant will be individually assessed for impairment, except when volumes of defaults and losses are sufficient to justify treatment under a collective methodology.

 
 
 
 
 
 22   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Loans considered as individually significant are typically to corporate and commercial customers, are for larger amounts and are managed on an individual basis. For these loans, the group considers on a case-by-case basis at each balance sheet date whether there is any objective evidence that a loan is impaired.

The determination of the realisable value of security is based on the most recently updated market value at the time the impairment assessment is performed. The value is not adjusted for expected future changes in market prices, though adjustments are made to reflect local conditions such as forced sale discounts.

Impairment losses are calculated by discounting the expected future cash flows of a loan, which include expected future receipts of contractual interest, at the loan's original effective interest rate or an approximation thereof, and comparing the resultant present value with the loan's current carrying amount.

Collectively assessed loans and advances

Impairment is assessed collectively to cover losses which have been incurred but have not yet been identified on loans subject to individual assessment or for homogeneous groups of loans that are not considered individually significant, which are generally retail lending portfolios.

Incurred but not yet identified impairment

Individually assessed loans for which no evidence of impairment has been specifically identified on an individual basis are grouped together according to their credit risk characteristics for a collective impairment assessment. This assessment captures impairment losses that HSBC has incurred as a result of events occurring before the balance sheet date that HSBC is not able to identify on an individual loan basis, and that can be reliably estimated. When information becomes available that identifies losses on individual loans within a group, those loans are removed from the group and assessed individually.

Homogeneous groups of loans and advances

Statistical methods are used to determine collective impairment losses for homogeneous groups of loans not considered individually significant. The methods used to calculate collective allowances are set out below:

 
 
--  When appropriate empirical information is available, HSBC utilises roll-rate methodology, 
     which employs statistical analyses of historical data and experience of delinquency and default 
     to reliably estimate the amount of the loans that will eventually be written off as a result 
     of events occurring before the balance sheet date. Individual loans are grouped using ranges 
     of past due days, and statistical estimates are made of the likelihood that loans in each 
     range will progress through the various stages of delinquency and become irrecoverable. Additionally, 
     individual loans are segmented based on their credit characteristics, such as industry sector, 
     loan grade or product. In applying this methodology, adjustments are made to estimate the 
     periods of time between a loss event occurring, for example because of a missed payment, and 
     its confirmation through write-off (known as the loss identification period). Current economic 
     conditions are also evaluated when calculating the appropriate level of allowance required 
     to cover inherent loss. In certain highly developed markets, models also take into account 
     behavioural and account management trends as revealed in, for example bankruptcy and rescheduling 
     statistics. 
 
 
 
--  When the portfolio size is small or when information is insufficient or not reliable enough 
     to adopt a roll-rate methodology, HSBC adopts a basic formulaic approach based on historical 
     loss rate experience, or a discounted cash flow model. Where a basic formulaic approach is 
     undertaken, the period between a loss event occurring and its identification is estimated 
     by local management, and is typically between six and 12 months. 
 

Write-off of loans and advances

Loans and the related impairment allowance accounts are normally written off, either partially or in full, when there is no realistic prospect of recovery. Where loans are secured, this is generally after receipt of any proceeds from the realisation of security. In circumstances where the net realisable value of any collateral has been determined and there is no reasonable expectation of further recovery, write-off may be earlier.

Reversals of impairment

If the amount of an impairment loss decreases in a subsequent period, and the decrease can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the excess is written back by reducing the loan impairment allowance account accordingly. The write-back is recognised in the income statement.

Assets acquired in exchange for loans

When non-financial assets acquired in exchange for loans as part of an orderly realisation are held for sale, these assets are recorded as 'Assets held for sale.'

Renegotiated loans

Loans subject to collective impairment assessment whose terms have been renegotiated are no longer considered past due, but are treated as up-to-date loans for measurement purposes once a minimum number of required payments has been received. Where collectively assessed loan portfolios include significant levels of renegotiated loans, these loans are segregated from other parts of the loan portfolio for the purposes of collective impairment assessment to reflect their risk profile. Loans subject to individual impairment assessment, whose terms have been renegotiated, are subject to ongoing review to determine whether they remain impaired. The carrying amounts of loans that have been classified as renegotiated retain this classification until maturity or derecognition.

A loan that is renegotiated is derecognised if the existing agreement is cancelled and a new agreement made on substantially different terms or if the terms of an existing agreement are modified such that the renegotiated loan is substantially a different financial instrument. Any new loans that arise following derecognition events will continue to be disclosed as renegotiated loans and are assessed for impairment as above.

Non-trading reverse repurchase, repurchase and similar agreements

When debt securities are sold subject to a commitment to repurchase them at a predetermined price ('repos'), they remain on the balance sheet and a liability is recorded in respect of the consideration received. Securities purchased under commitments to resell ('reverse repos') are not recognised on the balance sheet and an asset is recorded in respect of the initial consideration paid. Non-trading repos and reverse repos are measured at amortised cost. The difference between the sale and repurchase price or between the purchase and resale price is treated as interest and recognised in net interest income over the life of the agreement.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    23 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Contracts that are economically equivalent to reverse repurchase or repurchase agreements (such as sales or purchases of debt securities entered into together with total return swaps with the same counterparty) are accounted for similarly to, and presented together with, reverse repurchase or repurchase agreements.

Financial instruments measured at fair value

Available-for-sale financial assets

Available-for-sale financial assets are recognised on the trade date when the group enters into contractual arrangements to purchase them, and are normally derecognised when they are either sold or redeemed. They are subsequently remeasured at fair value, and changes therein are recognised in other comprehensive income until the assets are either sold or become impaired. Upon disposal, the cumulative gains or losses in other comprehensive income are recognised in the income statement as 'Gains less losses from financial investments'.

Impairment of available-for-sale financial assets

Available-for-sale financial assets are assessed at each balance sheet date for objective evidence of impairment. Impairment losses are recognised in the income statement within 'Loan impairment charges and other credit risk provisions' for debt instruments and within 'Gains less losses from financial investments' for equities.

Available-for-sale debt securities

In assessing objective evidence of impairment at the reporting date, the group considers all available evidence, including observable data or information about events specifically relating to the securities which may result in a shortfall in the recovery of future cash flows. A subsequent decline in the fair value of the instrument is recognised in the income statement when there is objective evidence of impairment as a result of decreases in the estimated future cash flows. Where there is no further objective evidence of impairment, the decline in the fair value of the financial asset is recognised in other comprehensive income. If the fair value of a debt security increases in a subsequent period, and the increase can be objectively related to an event occurring after the impairment loss was recognised in the income statement, or the instrument is no longer impaired, the impairment loss is reversed through the income statement.

Available-for-sale equity securities

A significant or prolonged decline in the fair value of the equity below its cost is objective evidence of impairment. In assessing whether it is significant, the decline in fair value is evaluated against the original cost of the asset at initial recognition. In assessing whether it is prolonged, the decline is evaluated against the continuous period in which the fair value of the asset has been below its original cost at initial recognition.

All subsequent increases in the fair value of the instrument are treated as a revaluation and are recognised in other comprehensive income. Subsequent decreases in the fair value of the available-for-sale equity security are recognised in the income statement to the extent that further cumulative impairment losses have been incurred. Impairment losses recognised on the equity security are not reversed through the income statement.

Financial instruments designated at fair value

Financial instruments, other than those held for trading, are classified in this category if they meet one or more of the criteria set out below, and are so designated irrevocably at inception:

 
 
--  the use of the designation removes or significantly reduces an accounting mismatch; 
 
 
 
--  when a group of financial assets, liabilities or both is managed and its performance is evaluated 
     on a fair value basis, in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy; 
     and 
 
 
 
--  where financial instruments contain one or more non-closely related embedded derivatives. 
     Designated financial assets are recognised when HSBC enters into contracts with counterparties, 
     which is generally on trade date, and are normally derecognised when the rights to the cash 
     flows expire or are transferred. Designated financial liabilities are recognized when HSBC 
     enters into contracts with counterparties, which is generally on settlement date, and are 
     normally derecognised when extinguished. Subsequent changes in fair values are recognised 
     in the income statement in 'Net income/(expense) from financial instruments designated at 
     fair value'. Under this criterion, the main classes of financial instruments designated by 
     HSBC are: 
 

Long-term debt issues

The interest and/or foreign exchange exposure on certain fixed rate debt securities issued has been matched with the interest and/or foreign exchange exposure on certain swaps as part of a documented risk management strategy.

Financial assets and financial liabilities under unit-linked and non-linked investment contracts

 
 
 
 3    Changes in fair value of long-term debt and related derivatives 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                                   2018    2017 
                                                     Footnotes   US$000  US$000 
---------------------------------------------------  ----------  ------  ------ 
Net income/(expense) arising on: 
- other changes in fair value                                     1,558   4,988 
---------------------------------------------------------------  ------  ------ 
Year ended 31 Dec                                                 1,558   4,988 
---------------------------------------------------------------  ------  ------ 
 

.

 
 
 
 
 
 24   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 4    Operating profit 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Operating profit is stated after the following items:

 
 
 
                                                                                                  2018       2017 
                                                                                                US$000     US$000 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------   -------- 
Income 
Interest recognised on impaired financial assets                                                11,162     11,353 
Interest recognised on financial assets measured at amortised cost                           1,050,036        N/A 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Interest recognised on financial assets measured at FVOCI                                      134,480        N/A 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Fees earned on financial assets that are not at fair value through profit or loss (other 
 than 
 amounts included in determining the effective interest rate)                                  372,490    426,002 
Fees earned on trust and other fiduciary activities                                             17,774     21,355 
Expense 
Interest on financial instruments, excluding interest on financial liabilities held for 
 trading 
 or designated or otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value                                (140,539)  (144,471) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Fees payable on financial liabilities that are not at fair value through profit or loss 
 (other 
 than amounts included in determining the effective interest rate)                             (79,383)   (67,633) 
Fees payable relating to trust and other fiduciary activities                                     (384)         - 
Payments under lease sublease agreements                                                       (42,132)   (24,955) 
Restructuring provisions                                                                        (5,068)    (6,749) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Gains/(losses) 
Impairment of available-for-sale equity securities                                                 N/A     (2,660) 
Gains recognised on assets held for sale                                                         3,079     55,438 
Losses on disposal or settlement of loans and advances                                               -       (145) 
                                                                                             ---------   -------- 
Gains on disposal of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and non-financial 
 investments                                                                                       (56)    16,805 
                                                                                             ---------   -------- 
Change in expected credit loss charges and other credit impairment charges                    (127,620)       N/A 
                                                                                             ---------   -------- 
- loans and advances to banks and customers                                                   (143,268)       N/A 
- loans commitments and guarantees                                                              18,873        N/A 
- other financial assets                                                                        (3,389)       N/A 
- debt instruments measured at fair value though other comprehensive income                        164        N/A 
                                                                                             ---------   -------- 
Loan impairment charges and other credit risk provisions                                           N/A   (149,912) 
                                                                                             ---------   -------- 
- net impairment charge on loans and advances                                                      N/A   (141,228) 
- other credit risk provisions                                                                     N/A     (8,684) 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------   -------- 
 
 
 
 
 5    Employee compensation and benefits 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                           2018     2017 
                                                         US$000   US$000 
------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Wages and salaries                                      511,783  490,572 
                                                        ------- 
Social security costs                                     6,085    5,059 
Post-employment benefits                                 30,922   26,630 
                                                        ------- 
Year ended 31 Dec                                       548,790  522,261 
------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 
 
 
 
 Average number of persons employed by the group during the year 
                                                           2018     2017 
------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Retail Banking and Wealth Management                      1,279    1,266 
Commercial Banking                                          695      672 
Global Banking and Markets                                  429      427 
Global Private Banking                                        8        9 
Corporate Centre                                          1,373    1,432 
Total                                                     3,784    3,806 
------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    25 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Year in which income statement is expected to reflect deferred bonuses 
                                                                                  Prior year 
                                                    Current year bonus pool(1)   bonus pools    Total 
                                                                        US$000        US$000   US$000 
2018 
Charge recognised in 2018                                                8,257         9,682   17,939 
- deferred share awards                                                  2,217         4,387    6,604 
- deferred cash awards                                                   6,040         5,295   11,335 
                                                    --------------------------  ------------  ------- 
Charge expected to be recognised in 2019 or later                        5,658         4,201    9,859 
- deferred share awards                                                  3,895         2,783    6,678 
-------------------------------------------------- 
- deferred cash awards                                                   1,763         1,418    3,181 
2017 
-------------------------------------------------- 
Charge recognised in 2017                                                4,767         5,687   10,454 
- deferred share awards                                                  2,268         4,330    6,598 
- deferred cash awards                                                   2,499         1,357    3,856 
Charge expected to be recognised in 2018 or later                        6,657         4,921   11,578 
- deferred share awards                                                  4,204         3,481    7,685 
-------------------------------------------------- 
- deferred cash awards                                                   2,453         1,440    3,893 
--------------------------------------------------  --------------------------  ------------  ------- 
 
 
 
1  Current year bonus pool relates to the bonus pool declared for the reporting period (2018 
    for the current year, 2017 for the 2017 comparatives). 
 

Deferred cash awards are recognised where there is a service period over which conditions are required to be satisfied in order for an employee to become unconditionally entitled to the cash.

Share-based payments

'Wages and salaries' include the effect of share-based payments arrangements, all equity settled, as follows:

 
 
 
                                                          2018     2017 
                                                        US$000   US$000 
Restricted share awards                                 10,954    9,818 
Savings-related and other share award option plans           -       18 
                                                       -------  ------- 
Year ended 31 Dec                                       10,954    9,836 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 
 
 
 
 HSBC share awards 
Award                                                       Policy 
Deferred share awards (including annual incentive awards    -- An assessment of performance over the relevant period 
delivered in shares) and GPSP                               ending on 31 December is used to 
                                                            determine the amount of the award to be granted. 
                                                            -- Deferred awards generally require employees to remain 
                                                            in employment over the vesting period 
                                                            and are not subject to performance conditions after the 
                                                            grant date. 
                                                            -- Deferred share awards generally vest over a period of 
                                                            three years and GPSP awards vest 
                                                            after five years. 
                                                            -- Vested shares may be subject to a retention requirement 
                                                            post-vesting. GPSP awards are 
                                                            retained until cessation of employment. 
                                                            -- Awards granted from 2010 onwards are subject to a malus 
                                                            provision prior to vesting. 
----------------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Movement on HSBC share awards 
                                                          2018      2017 
                                                        Number    Number 
                                                        US$000   (US$000 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
Restricted share awards outstanding at 1 Jan             3,588     4,041 
                                                       ------- 
Additions during the year                                1,034     1,915 
Released and forfeited in the year                      (3,018)   (2,368) 
                                                       ------- 
Restricted share awards outstanding at 31 Dec            1,604     3,588 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
Weighted average fair value of awards granted (GBP)       8.81      7.26 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------   ------- 
 
 
 
 
 HSBC share option plans 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 Main plans                                       Policy 
Savings-related share option plans ('Sharesave')  -- Exercisable within six months following either the third or fifth 
                                                  anniversaries of the 
                                                  commencement of a three-year or five-year contract, respectively. 
                                                  -- The exercise price is set at a 20% (2017: 20%) discount to the 
                                                  market value immediately 
                                                  preceding the date of invitation. 
------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Calculation of fair values

The fair values of share options are calculated using a Black-Scholes model. The fair value of a share award is based on the share price at the date of the grant.

 
 
 
 
 
 26   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Movement on HSBC share option plans 
                                                            Savings-related 
                                                           share option plans 
                                                       ------------------------- 
                                                          Number       WAEP(1) 
                                                          US$000           GBP 
Outstanding at 1 Jan 2018                                     74          7.03 
Granted during the year                                       33          7.07 
Exercised during the year                                    (26)         7.15 
Transferred during the year                                   17          9.85 
Forfeited, expired and cancelled during the year              (6)         7.61 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------      -------- 
Outstanding at 31 Dec 2018                                    92          6.71 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------      -------- 
Weighted average remaining contractual life (years)         1.79 
 
Outstanding at 1 Jan 2017                                    131          7.21 
----------------------------------------------------- 
Granted during the year                                       11          7.91 
----------------------------------------------------- 
Exercised during the year                                    (57)         7.52 
----------------------------------------------------- 
Transferred during the year                                    1          4.79 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------      -------- 
Forfeited, expired and cancelled during the year             (12)         7.46 
----------------------------------------------------- 
Outstanding at 31 Dec 2017                                    74          7.03 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------      -------- 
Weighted average remaining contractual life (years)         1.83 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------      ---------- 
 
 
 
1  Weighted average exercise price. 
 

Post-employment benefit plans

 
 
 
Income statement charge 
                                                          2018     2017 
                                                        US$000   US$000 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Defined benefit pension plans                           26,247   24,049 
                                                       -------  ------- 
Defined contribution pension plans                       4,675    2,512 
                                                       -------  ------- 
Defined benefit and contribution healthcare plans            -       69 
                                                       -------  ------- 
Year ended 31 Dec                                       30,922   26,630 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 
 
 
 
 Net liabilities recognised on the balance sheet in respect of defined benefit plans 
                                                                        2018        2017 
                                                                      US$000      US$000 
Net employee benefit liabilities (Note 23)                          (168,261)   (175,445) 
----------------------------------------------------------------  ----------   --------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    27 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Defined benefit pension plans

 
 
 
 Net asset/(liability) under defined benefit pension plans 
                                                                        Present value of 
                                                 Fair value of plan      defined benefit    Net defined benefit 
                                                             assets          obligations              liability 
                                                             US$000               US$000                 US$000 
---------------------------------------------  --------------------  -------------------   -------------------- 
At 1 Jan 2018                                                     -             (175,445)              (175,445) 
Service cost                                                      -              (24,926)               (24,926) 
---------------------------------------------  --------------------  ------------------- 
- Current service cost                                            -              (24,926)               (24,926) 
--------------------------------------------- 
Net interest cost on the net defined benefit 
 liability                                                        -               (3,678)                (3,678) 
Re-measurement effects recognised in other 
 comprehensive income                                             -               23,859                 23,859 
- actuarial gains                                                 -               23,859                 23,859 
Exchange differences and other movements                          -               (1,758)                (1,758) 
Benefits paid                                                     -               13,687                 13,687 
---------------------------------------------  --------------------  ------------------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                                                    -             (168,261)              (168,261) 
                                               --------------------  -------------------   -------------------- 
Present value of defined benefit obligation 
 relating to:                                                     -             (168,261)              (168,261) 
- actives                                                         -             (165,348)                     - 
- deferreds                                                       -               (2,913)                     - 
                                                                     -------------------   -------------------- 
At 1 Jan 2017                                                     -             (144,520)              (144,520) 
Service cost                                                      -              (21,574)               (21,574) 
---------------------------------------------  --------------------  -------------------   -------------------- 
- Current service cost                                            -              (21,574)               (21,574) 
--------------------------------------------- 
Net interest cost on the net defined benefit 
 liability                                                        -               (2,475)                (2,475) 
Re-measurement effects recognised in other 
 comprehensive income                                             -              (16,553)               (16,553) 
- actuarial losses                                                               (16,553)               (16,553) 
Exchange differences and other movements                          -               (1,145)                (1,145) 
Benefits paid                                                     -               10,822                 10,822 
---------------------------------------------  --------------------  -------------------   -------------------- 
At 31 Dec 2017                                                    -             (175,445)              (175,445) 
Present value of defined benefit obligation 
 relating to:                                                                   (175,445) 
- actives                                                         -             (163,134)                     - 
- deferreds                                                       -              (12,311)                     - 
---------------------------------------------  --------------------  -------------------   -------------------- 
 

Post-employment defined benefit plans' principal actuarial financial assumptions

The principal actuarial financial assumptions used to calculate the group's obligations under its defined benefit pension plans at 31 December for each year, and used as the basis for measuring periodic costs under the plans in the following years, were as follows:

 
 
 
 Key actuarial assumptions for the principal plan 
                                                                                      Combined rate of resignation and 
                                               Discount rate  Rate of pay increase              employment termination 
                                                           %                     %                                   % 
---------------------------------------------  -------------  --------------------  ---------------------------------- 
United Arab Emirates 
                                                              -------------------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                                          3.13                  5.10                                8.00 
---------------------------------------------  -------------  --------------------  ---------------------------------- 
 
At 31 Dec 2017                                          2.20                  6.40                                9.30 
---------------------------------------------  -------------  --------------------  ---------------------------------- 
 

The group determines discount rates to be applied to its obligations in consultation with the plans' local actuaries, on the basis of current average yields of long term, high quality corporate bonds.

 
 
 
 The effect of changes in key assumptions on the principal plan 
                                                                   United Arab Emirates 
                                                                -------------------------- 
                                                                     2018          2017 
                                                                   US$000        US$000 
Discount rate 
--------------------------------------------------------------  -------------  ----------- 
Change in scheme obligation at year end from a 25bps increase      (2,330)       (3,250) 
Change in scheme obligation at year end from a 25bps decrease       3,700         3,367 
Change in following year scheme cost from a 25bps increase            (60)         (170) 
Change in following year scheme cost from a 25bps decrease            224           176 
                                                                --------- 
Rate of pay increase 
Change in scheme obligation at year end from a 25bps increase       3,797         3,393 
Change in scheme obligation at year end from a 25bps decrease      (2,438)       (3,293) 
Change in following year scheme cost from a 25bps increase            685           645 
Change in following year scheme cost from a 25bps decrease           (506)         (626) 
--------------------------------------------------------------  ---------      -------- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 6    Auditors' remuneration 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                          2018     2017 
                                                        US$000   US$000 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Audit fees payable to PwC                                1,179    1,384 
Other audit fees payable                                    31       34 
Year ended 31 Dec                                        1,210    1,418 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 
 
 
 
 Fees payable by the group to PwC 
                                                                       2018     2017 
                                                         Footnotes   US$000   US$000 
-------------------------------------------------------  ---------  -------  ------- 
Fees for HSBC Bank Middle East Limited statutory audit           1    1,179    1,384 
                                                         --------- 
- relating to current year                                            1,168    1,329 
                                                         --------- 
- relating to prior year                                                 11       55 
-------------------------------------------------------  ---------  -------  ------- 
Fees for other services provided to the group                         1,211    1,416 
                                                         --------- 
- audit-related assurance services                               2      648      705 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------- 
- taxation-related services                                             280      323 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------- 
- other non-audit services                                              283      388 
-------------------------------------------------------  ---------  -------  ------- 
Year ended 31 Dec                                                     2,390    2,800 
-------------------------------------------------------  ---------  -------  ------- 
 
 
 
1  Fees payable to PwC for the statutory audit of the consolidated financial statements of the 
    group. 
 
 
 
2  Including services for assurance and other services that relate to statutory and regulatory 
    filings, including comfort letters and interim reviews. 
 

No fees were payable by the group to PwC as principal auditor for the following types of services: internal audit services and services related to litigation, recruitment and remuneration.

 
 
 
 7    Tax 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Tax expense 
                                                          2018     2017 
                                                        US$000   US$000 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Current tax                                             90,301   87,864 
- for this year                                         88,211   94,798 
- adjustments in respect of prior years                  2,090   (6,934) 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Deferred tax                                            11,568    4,140 
- origination and reversal of temporary differences     11,568    4,140 
----------------------------------------------------- 
Year ended 31 Dec                                      101,869   92,004 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 

The group provides for taxation at the appropriate rates in the countries in which it operates.

Tax reconciliation

The tax charged to the income statement differs from the tax charge that would apply if all profits had been taxed at the corporate tax rate applicable in UAE:

 
 
 
                                                               2018                 2017 
                                                         US$000         %    US$000         % 
------------------------------------------------------  -------   -------   -------   ------- 
Profit before tax                                       643,019             637,357 
                                                                            ------- 
Tax expense 
                                                        -------- 
Taxation at UAE corporate tax rate of 20% (2017: 20%)   128,604      20.0   127,471      20.0 
                                                        -------   ------- 
Effect of differently taxed overseas profits            (12,992)     (2.0)  (17,368)     (2.7) 
Adjustments in respect of prior period liabilities        1,972       0.3    (7,200)     (1.1) 
Non-taxable income and gains                            (22,276)     (3.5)  (22,379)     (3.5) 
Permanent disallowables                                   4,654       0.7       188         - 
Local taxes and overseas withholding taxes                1,907       0.3    11,797       1.9 
Other items                                                   -         -      (505)     (0.1) 
                                                                  ------- 
Overall tax expense                                     101,869      15.8    92,004      14.5 
------------------------------------------------------  -------   -------   -------   ------- 
 

Accounting for taxes involves some estimation because the tax law is uncertain and the application requires a degree of judgement, which authorities may dispute. Liabilities are recognised based on best estimates of the probable outcome, taking into account external advice where appropriate. We do not expect significant liabilities to arise in excess of the amounts provided. The group only recognises current and deferred tax assets where recovery is probable.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    29 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Movement of deferred tax assets and liabilities 
                                      Retirement    Loan impairment      Revaluation of 
                                        benefits         allowances            property     Other     Total 
                                          US$000             US$000              US$000    US$000    US$000 
-----------------------------  -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
Assets                                    12,585            185,871                   -     7,401   205,857 
Liabilities                                    -                  -                   -         -         - 
At 1 Jan 2018                             12,585            185,871                   -     7,401   205,857 
IFRS 9 transitional 
 adjustment                                    -             10,683                   -         -    10,683 
-----------------------------  -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
Income statement                              (8)           (10,948)                  -      (612)  (11,568) 
                               -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
Other comprehensive income                     -                  -                   -         -         - 
                               -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
Foreign exchange and other 
 adjustments                                 572               (568)                  -         6        10 
                               -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                            13,149            185,038                   -     6,795   204,982 
-----------------------------  -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
Assets                                    13,149            185,038                   -     6,795   204,982 
Liabilities                                    -                  -                   -         -         - 
 
Assets                                    11,194            190,058                   -     7,859   209,111 
Liabilities                                    -                  -                (523)        -      (523) 
At 1 Jan 2017                             11,194            190,058                (523)    7,859   208,588 
-----------------------------  -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
Income statement                               -             (4,165)                523      (498)   (4,140) 
Other comprehensive income                 1,391                  -                   -         -     1,391 
Foreign exchange and other 
 adjustments                                   -                (22)                  -        40        18 
At 31 Dec 2017                            12,585            185,871                   -     7,401   205,857 
Assets                                    12,585            185,871                   -     7,401   205,857 
Liabilities                                    -                  -                   -         -         - 
-----------------------------  -----------------   ----------------   -----------------   -------   ------- 
 

Unrecognised deferred tax

The amount of temporary differences, unused tax losses and tax credits for which no deferred tax asset is recognised in the balance sheet was nil (2017: nil).

 
 
 
 8    Dividends 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Dividends to shareholders of the parent company 
                                              2018                 2017 
                                       ------------------  -------------------- 
                                       Per share    Total  Per share    Total 
                                             US$   US$000        US$   US$000 
-------------------------------------  ---------  -------  ---------  ------- 
Dividends paid on ordinary shares 
In respect of previous year: 
- fourth interim dividend                 0.1504  140,000     0.0269   25,000 
In respect of current year: 
- first interim dividend                  0.0537   50,000     0.1482  138,000 
------------------------------------- 
- second interim dividend                      -        -     0.1729  161,000 
------------------------------------- 
- third interim dividend                       -        -     0.1138  106,000 
------------------------------------- 
Total                                     0.2041  190,000     0.4618  430,000 
-------------------------------------  ---------  -------  ---------  ------- 
 

On 12 February 2019, the Directors declared a second interim dividend in respect of the financial year ended 31 December 2018 of

US$ 0.1074 per ordinary share, a distribution of US$100 million.

 
 
 
 
 
 30   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 9    Segment analysis 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Profit/(loss) for the period 
                                                                   2018 
                               ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                    Retail 
                                   Banking                     Global     Global 
                                and Wealth   Commercial   Banking and    Private    Corporate 
                                Management      Banking       Markets    Banking       Centre       Total 
Full year                           US$000       US$000        US$000     US$000       US$000      US$000 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Net interest income                396,477      232,830       319,766          -       36,890     985,963 
Net fee income/(expense)           100,289      121,567       189,145          -       (3,701)    407,300 
----------------------------- 
Net income from financial 
 instruments held for trading 
 or managed on a fair value 
 basis                              38,388       30,102       114,586          -       24,720     207,796 
----------------------------- 
Other income                         9,307       13,370        19,302          -       38,873      80,852 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Net operating income before 
 change in expected credit 
 losses and other credit 
 impairment charges                544,461      397,869       642,799          -       96,782   1,681,911 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Change in expected credit 
 losses and other credit 
 impairment charges                (63,543)     (83,504)       18,967          -          460    (127,620) 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Net operating income               480,918      314,365       661,766          -       97,242   1,554,291 
Total operating expenses          (349,760)    (231,417)     (248,402)         -      (82,168)   (911,747) 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Operating profit                   131,158       82,948       413,364          -       15,074     642,544 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Share of profit in associates            -            -             -          -          475         475 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Profit before tax                  131,158       82,948       413,364          -       15,549     643,019 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
By geographical region 
-----------------------------  ------------  -----------  ------------  --------  ------------  ------------ 
U.A.E.                             112,476       57,712       277,165          -         (438)    446,915 
Qatar                                6,962        4,832        69,568          -        4,301      85,663 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
Rest of Middle East                 11,720       20,404        66,631          -       11,686     110,441 
Profit before tax                  131,158       82,948       413,364          -       15,549     643,019 
-----------------------------  -----------   ----------   -----------   --------  -----------   --------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                                          2017 
                                            ---------------------------------------------------------------- 
Net interest income                          382,556    213,829    220,537        -    89,570     906,492 
Net fee income/(expense)                     105,936    132,551    203,472        -    (6,914)    435,045 
Net trading income/(expense)                  38,026     29,275    159,673        -   (10,726)    216,248 
Other income                                  16,811     15,391     16,552      163    81,248     130,165 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Net operating income before loan 
 impairment charges and other credit risk    543,329    391,046    600,234      163   153,178   1,687,950 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Loan impairment charges and other credit 
 risk provisions                             (74,539)   (57,708)   (17,665)       -         -    (149,912) 
                                            --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Net operating income                         468,790    333,338    582,569      163   153,178   1,538,038 
                                            --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Total operating expenses                    (334,980)  (232,023)  (246,973)    (163)  (86,832)   (900,971) 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Operating profit                             133,810    101,315    335,596        -    66,346     637,067 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Share of profit in associates                      -          -          -        -       290         290 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Profit before tax                            133,810    101,315    335,596        -    66,636     637,357 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
By geographical region 
------------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -------  --------  ------------ 
U.A.E.                                       110,156     52,702    256,909        -    45,468     465,235 
Qatar                                         12,743     24,178     68,020        -     3,380     108,321 
Rest of Middle East                           10,911     24,435     10,667        -    17,788      63,801 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
Profit before tax                            133,810    101,315    335,596        -    66,636     637,357 
------------------------------------------  --------   --------   --------   ------   -------   --------- 
 
 
 
 
 Balance sheet information 
                                                                   2018 
                               ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                      Retail 
                                     Banking                    Global    Global 
                                  and Wealth  Commercial   Banking and   Private     Corporate 
                                  Management     Banking       Markets   Banking        Centre       Total 
                                      US$000      US$000        US$000    US$000        US$000      US$000 
-----------------------------  -------------  ----------  ------------  --------  ------------  ---------- 
Loans and advances to 
 customers (net)                   3,674,797   6,412,781     9,985,797         -             -  20,073,375 
                               -------------  ----------  ------------  --------  ------------  ---------- 
Interest in associates                     -           -             -         -         2,423       2,423 
                               -------------  ----------  ------------  --------  ------------  ---------- 
Total assets                       3,695,109   6,800,324    13,624,166         -    11,409,452  35,529,051 
                               -------------  ----------  ------------  --------  ------------  ---------- 
Customer accounts                 10,520,824   4,147,079     7,105,591         -        50,013  21,823,507 
-----------------------------  -------------  ----------  ------------  --------  ------------  ---------- 
Total liabilities                 10,683,194   5,321,362    10,775,700         -     4,199,695  30,979,951 
-----------------------------  -------------  ----------  ------------  --------  ------------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                                       2017 
                                        ------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Loans and advances to customers (net)    3,788,578  6,033,990   8,492,130       -       2,082  18,316,780 
-------------------------------------- 
Interest in associates                           -          -           -       -       1,948       1,948 
-------------------------------------- 
Total assets                             3,800,405  6,369,620  12,801,850       -  12,699,034  35,670,909 
Customer accounts                       10,647,785  4,562,150   6,846,188       -     527,526  22,583,649 
--------------------------------------  ----------  ---------  ----------  ------  ----------  ---------- 
Total liabilities                       10,838,029  5,736,970  10,744,100       -   4,045,975  31,365,074 
--------------------------------------  ----------  ---------  ----------  ------  ----------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    31 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Other financial information

 
 
 
 Net operating income by global business 
                                                                 2018 
                           --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                           Retail Banking                     Global     Global 
                               and Wealth  Commercial    Banking and    Private      Corporate 
                               Management     Banking        Markets    Banking         Centre       Total 
                Footnotes          US$000      US$000         US$000     US$000         US$000      US$000 
--------------  ---------  --------------  ----------   ------------   --------  -------------   --------- 
Net operating 
 income                 1         544,461     397,869        642,799          -         96,782   1,681,911 
                                                                                                 --------- 
- external                        382,978     465,531        698,808          -        134,594   1,681,911 
                                                                                                 --------- 
- internal                        161,483     (67,662)       (56,009)         -        (37,812)          - 
--------------  ---------  --------------  ----------   ------------   --------  -------------   --------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                           2017 
Net operating income      1   543,329   391,046    600,234        163   153,178   1,687,950 
- external                    439,999   434,724    650,102          -   163,125   1,687,950 
- internal                    103,330   (43,678)   (49,868)       163    (9,947)          - 
---------------------  ----  --------  --------   --------   --------  --------   --------- 
 
 
 
1  Net operating income before loan impairment charges and other credit risk provisions, also 
    referred to as revenue. 
 
 
 
 
 Information by country 
                                                     2018                                  2017 
                                          External net                         External net 
                                             operating        Non-current         operating        Non-current 
                                             income(1)          assets(2)         income(1)          assets(2) 
                                                US$000             US$000            US$000             US$000 
------------------------------------  ----------------  -----------------  ----------------  ----------------- 
U.A.E.                                       1,294,281            316,735         1,303,304             44,405 
Qatar                                          191,241              5,386           197,261              4,435 
                                      ----------------  ----------------- 
Rest of Middle East                            196,389             10,769           187,385             11,850 
------------------------------------  ----------------  -----------------  ----------------  ----------------- 
Total                                        1,681,911            332,890         1,687,950             60,690 
------------------------------------  ----------------  -----------------  ----------------  ----------------- 
 
 
 
1  External net operating income is attributed to countries on the basis of the location of the 
    branch responsible for reporting the results or advancing the funds. 
 
 
 
2  Non current assets consist of property, plant and equipment, other intangible assets and certain 
    other assets expected to be recovered more than 12 months after the reporting period. 
 
 
 
 
 Performance ratios 
                                                                  2018 
                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                     Retail Banking 
                         and Wealth         Commercial    Global Banking    Global Private 
                         Management            Banking       and Markets           Banking  Corporate Centre     Total 
                                  %                  %                 %                 %                 %         % 
-----------------  ----------------  -----------------  ----------------  ----------------  ----------------  -------- 
Year ended 31 
December 2018 
Share of the 
 group's profit 
 before tax                    20.4               12.9              64.3                 -               2.4     100.0 
Cost efficiency 
 ratio                         64.2               58.2              38.6                 -              84.9      54.2 
 
                                                                  2017 
                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Year ended 31 
December 2017 
Share of the 
 group's profit 
 before tax                    21.0               15.9              52.6                 -              10.5     100.0 
Cost efficiency 
 ratio                         61.7               59.3              41.1             100.0              56.7      53.4 
-----------------  ----------------  -----------------  ----------------  ----------------  ----------------  -------- 
 
 
 
 
 10   Trading assets 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                            2018      2017 
                                                          US$000    US$000 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Trading assets: 
- not subject to repledge or resale by counterparties    246,156   440,624 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
At 31 Dec                                                246,156   440,624 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Debt securities                                          194,711   280,747 
                                                        -------- 
Treasury and other eligible bills                         51,445    46,294 
                                                        --------  -------- 
Trading securities                                       246,156   327,041 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Loans and advances to banks                                    -    53,231 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Loans and advances to customers                                -    60,352 
At 31 Dec                                                246,156   440,624 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
 
 
 
 11   Fair values of financial instruments carried at fair value 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Control framework

Fair values are subject to a control framework designed to ensure that they are either determined or validated by a function independent of the risk taker.

Where fair values are determined by reference to externally quoted prices or observable pricing inputs to models, independent price determination or validation is used. For inactive markets, the group sources alternative market information, with greater weight given to

 
 
 
 
 
 32   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

information that is considered to be more relevant and reliable. Examples of the factors considered are price observability, instrument comparability, consistency of data sources, underlying data accuracy and timing of prices.

For fair values determined using valuation models, the control framework includes development or validation by independent support functions of the model logic, inputs, model outputs and adjustments. Valuation models are subject to a process of due diligence before becoming operational and are calibrated against external market data on an ongoing basis.

The majority of financial instruments measured at fair value are in GB&M. GB&M's fair value governance structure comprises its Finance function, Valuation Committees and a Valuation Committee Review Group. Finance is responsible for establishing procedures governing valuation and ensuring fair values are in compliance with accounting standards. The fair values are reviewed by the Valuation Committees, which consist of independent support functions. These Committees are overseen by the Valuation Committee Review Group, which considers all material subjective valuations.

Financial liabilities measured at fair value

In certain circumstances, the group records its own debt in issue at fair value, based on quoted prices in an active market for the specific instrument concerned, where available. An example of this is where own debt in issue is hedged with interest rate derivatives. When quoted market prices are unavailable, the own debt in issue is valued using valuation techniques, the inputs for which are either based upon quoted prices in an inactive market for the instrument, or are estimated by comparison with quoted prices in an active market for similar instruments. In both cases, the fair value includes the effect of applying the credit spread which is appropriate to the group's liabilities. The change in fair value of issued debt securities attributable to the group's own credit spread is computed as follows: for each security at each reporting date, an externally verifiable price is obtained or a price is derived using credit spreads for similar securities for the same issuer. Then, using discounted cash flow, each security is valued using a Libor-based discount curve. The difference in the valuations is attributable to the group's own credit spread. This methodology is applied consistently across all securities.

Structured notes issued and certain other hybrid instrument liabilities are included within liabilities measured at fair value through profit and loss. The credit spread applied to these instruments is derived from the spreads at which the group issues structured notes.

Gains and losses arising from changes in the credit spread of liabilities issued by the group reverse over the contractual life of the debt, provided that the debt is not repaid at a premium or a discount.

Fair value hierarchy

Fair values of financial assets and liabilities are determined according to the following hierarchy:

 
 
--  Level 1 - valuation technique using quoted market price: financial instruments with quoted 
     prices for identical instruments in active markets that the group can access at the measurement 
     date. 
 
 
 
--  Level 2 - valuation technique using observable inputs: financial instruments with quoted prices 
     for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments 
     in inactive markets and financial instruments valued using models where all significant inputs 
     are observable. 
 
 
 
--  Level 3 - valuation technique with significant unobservable inputs: financial instruments 
     valued using valuation techniques where one or more significant inputs are unobservable. 
 
 
 
 
 Financial instruments carried at fair value and bases of valuation 
                                           2018                                     2017 
                         ----------------------------------------  --------------------------------------- 
                                                                    Level 
                           Level 1    Level 2  Level 3      Total       1    Level 2  Level 3      Total 
                            US$000     US$000   US$000     US$000  US$000     US$000   US$000     US$000 
Recurring fair value 
measurements at 31 Dec 
Assets 
Trading assets                   -    166,201   79,955    246,156       -    440,624        -    440,624 
Financial assets 
 designated and 
 otherwise mandatorily 
 measured at fair value 
 through 
 profit or loss                  -          -   47,839     47,839     N/A        N/A      N/A        N/A 
-----------------------                                                               -------  --------- 
Derivatives                      -    953,222        -    953,222       -    960,097    3,005    963,102 
                         ---------  ---------  -------  --------- 
Financial investments    2,099,446  3,378,498  256,832  5,734,776       -  6,628,271  118,233  6,746,504 
Liabilities 
Trading liabilities              -     59,023        -     59,023       -  1,309,860        -  1,309,860 
Financial liabilities 
 designated at fair 
 value                           -  2,017,966        -  2,017,966       -    739,425        -    739,425 
Derivatives                      -    951,976        -    951,976       -    949,327    3,005    952,332 
-----------------------  ---------  ---------  -------  ---------  ------  ---------  -------  --------- 
 

The balance as at 31 December 2018 under financial assets designated at fair value through profit or loss is US$ 47.8 million and financial assets mandatorily measured at fair value through profit or loss is US$ Nil.

Transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy are deemed to occur at the end of each semi-annual reporting period. Transfers into and out of levels of the fair value hierarchy are primarily attributable to observability of valuation inputs and price transparency.

During 2018 there was a transfer of US$2,099 million from Level 2 to Level 1 Financial Investments. There were no corresponding transfers in 2017. The transfers from Level 2 to Level 3 during the year are shown in 'Movement in Level 3 financial instruments' on

page 35.

The transfer between L2 to L1 comes as part of HSBC Group review where HQLA assets were classified as L1 as these securities are highly liquid and widely quoted in the market.

Fair value adjustments

Fair value adjustments are adopted when the group considers that there are additional factors that would be considered by a market participant which are not incorporated within the valuation model.

Movements in the level of fair value adjustments do not necessarily result in the recognition of profits or losses within the income statement. For example, as models are enhanced, fair value adjustments may no longer be required.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    33 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Bid-offer

IFRS 13 requires use of the price within the bid-offer spread that is most representative of fair value. Valuation models will typically generate mid-market values. The bid-offer adjustment reflects the extent to which bid-offer cost would be incurred if substantially all residual net portfolio market risks were closed using available hedging instruments or by disposing of or unwinding the position.

Uncertainty

Certain model inputs may be less readily determinable from market data, and/or the choice of model itself may be more subjective. In these circumstances, there exists a range of possible values that the financial instrument or market parameter may assume and an adjustment may be necessary to reflect the likelihood that in estimating the fair value of the financial instrument, market participants would adopt more conservative values for uncertain parameters and/or model assumptions than those used in the valuation model.

Credit and debit valuation adjustment

The credit valuation adjustment is an adjustment to the valuation of OTC derivative contracts to reflect within fair value the possibility that the counterparty may default and that the group may not receive the full market value of the transactions.

The debit valuation adjustment is an adjustment to the valuation of OTC derivative contracts to reflect within fair value the possibility that the group may default, and that the group may not pay full market value of the transactions.

The group calculates a separate credit valuation adjustment ('CVA') and debit valuation adjustment ('DVA') for each group legal entity, and within each entity for each counterparty to which the entity has exposure.

The group calculates the CVA by applying the probability of default ('PD') of the counterparty conditional on the non-default of the group to the expected positive exposure to the counterparty and multiplying the result by the loss expected in the event of default. Conversely, the group calculates the DVA by applying the PD of the group, conditional on the non-default of the counterparty, to the expected positive exposure of the counterparty to the group and multiplying by the loss expected in the event of default. Both calculations are performed over the life of the potential exposure.

Funding fair value adjustment

The funding fair value adjustment is calculated by applying future market funding spreads to the expected future funding exposure of any uncollateralised component of the OTC derivative portfolio. This includes the uncollateralised component of collateralised derivatives in addition to derivatives that are fully uncollateralised. The expected future funding exposure is calculated by a simulation methodology, where available. The expected future funding exposure is adjusted for events that may terminate the exposure such as the default of the group or the counterparty.

Model limitation

Models used for portfolio valuation purposes may be based upon a simplified set of assumptions that do not capture all current and future material market characteristics. In these circumstances, model limitation adjustments are adopted.

Inception profit (Day 1 P&L reserves)

Inception profit adjustments are adopted when the fair value estimated by a valuation model is based on one or more significant unobservable inputs.

Fair value valuation bases

 
 
 
 Financial instruments measured at fair value using a valuation technique with significant 
  unobservable inputs - Level 3 
                                                    Assets                                Liabilities 
                           --------------------------------------------------------  --------------------- 
                                                   Designated 
                                                          and 
                                                    otherwise 
                                                  mandatorily 
                                                  measured at 
                                                   fair value 
                                                      through 
                             Financial   Trading    profit or 
                           Investments    Assets         loss  Derivatives    Total  Derivatives   Total 
                                US$000    US$000       US$000       US$000   US$000       US$000  US$000 
                                        --------  ----------- 
Private equity including 
 strategic investments          39,203         -       47,839            -   87,042            -       - 
                           -----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Other derivatives                    -         -            -            -        -            -       - 
-------------------------  -----------  --------  -----------  -----------  -------  -----------  ------ 
Other portfolios               217,629    79,955            -            -  297,584            -       - 
-------------------------  -----------  -------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                 256,832    79,955       47,839            -  384,626            -       - 
-------------------------  -----------  --------  -----------  -----------  -------  -----------  ------ 
 
Private equity including 
 strategic investments         118,233         -            -            -  118,233            -       - 
Other derivatives                    -         -            -        3,005    3,005        3,005   3,005 
-------------------------  -----------  --------  -----------  -----------  -------  -----------  ------ 
Other portfolios                     -         -            -            -        -            -       - 
                           -----------  --------  -----------  -----------  -------  -----------  ------ 
At 31 Dec 2017                 118,233         -            -        3,005  121,238        3,005   3,005 
-------------------------  -----------  --------  -----------  -----------  -------  -----------  ------ 
 

Private equity including strategic investments

The investment's fair value is estimated on the basis of an analysis of the investee's financial position and results, risk profile, prospects and other factors; by reference to market valuations for similar entities quoted in an active market; or the price at which similar companies have changed ownership.

Derivatives

OTC (i.e. non-exchange traded) derivatives are valued using valuation models. Valuation models calculate the present value of expected future cash flows, based upon 'no-arbitrage' principles. For many vanilla derivative products, such as interest rate swaps and European options, the modelling approaches used are standard across the industry. For more complex derivative products, there may be some differences in market practice. Inputs to valuation models are determined from observable market data wherever possible, including prices available from exchanges, dealers, brokers or providers of consensus pricing. Certain inputs may not be observable in the market directly, but can be determined from observable prices via model calibration procedures or estimated from historical data or other sources.

 
 
 
 
 
 34   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Reconciliation of fair value measurements in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy

 
 
 
 Movement in Level 3 financial instruments 
                                                             Assets                              Liabilities 
                                  ------------------------------------------------------------  -------------- 
                                                                     Designated 
                                                                  and otherwise 
                                                                    mandatorily 
                                                                    measured at 
                                                                     fair value 
                                                                        through 
                                      Financial                       profit or 
                                    Investments   Trading Assets           loss   Derivatives   Derivatives 
                                         US$000           US$000         US$000        US$000        US$000 
                                  ------------- 
At 1 Jan 2018                            60,094                -         58,139         3,005         3,005 
                                  -------------   --------------  -------------   -----------   ----------- 
Total losses recognised in 
 profit or loss                               -                -        (10,300)            -             - 
                                  -------------   --------------  -------------   -----------   ----------- 
- net income from financial 
instruments held for trading or 
managed on a fair value basis                 -                -              -             -             - 
-------------------------------- 
- changes in fair value of other 
 financial instruments 
 mandatorily measured at fair 
 value 
 through profit or loss                       -                -        (10,300)            -             - 
--------------------------------  -------------   --------------  -------------   -----------   ----------- 
Total losses recognised in other 
 comprehensive income                   (20,819)               -              -             -             - 
- financial investments: fair 
 value losses                           (20,819)               -              -             -             - 
- Exchange differences                        -                -              -             -             - 
--------------------------------  -------------   --------------  -------------   -----------   ----------- 
Sales                                       (66)               -              -             -             - 
--------------------------------  -------------   --------------  -------------   -----------   ----------- 
Settlements                                   -                -              -        (3,005)       (3,005) 
-------------------------------- 
Transfers out                                 -                -              -             -             - 
-------------------------------- 
Transfers in                            217,623           79,955              -             -             - 
--------------------------------  -------------   --------------  -------------   -----------   ----------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                          256,832           79,955         47,839             -             - 
Unrealised gains/(losses) 
 recognised in profit or loss 
 relating to assets and 
 liabilities 
 held at 31 Dec 2018                          -                -        (10,300)            -             - 
- net income from financial 
instruments held for trading or 
managed on a fair value basis                 -                -              -             -             - 
-------------------------------- 
- changes in fair value of other 
 financial instruments 
 mandatorily measured at fair 
 value 
 through profit or loss                       -                -        (10,300)            -             - 
--------------------------------  -------------   --------------  -------------   -----------   ----------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                              Assets                             Liabilities 
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------  -------------- 
                                    Available                         Designated 
                                     for sale   Held for trading   at fair value  Derivatives   Derivatives 
                                       US$000               $000          US$000       US$000        US$000 
At 1 Jan 2017                          70,480                  -               -        7,230         7,230 
Total gains/(losses) recognised in 
 profit or loss                        (2,870)                 -               -       59,577        59,577 
- trading income excluding net 
 interest income                            -                  -               -       59,577        59,577 
- gains less losses from financial 
 investments                           (2,870)                 -               -            -             - 
Total losses recognised in other 
 comprehensive income                  (2,119)                 -               -            -             - 
- available-for-sale investments: 
 fair value losses                     (2,160)                 -               -            -             - 
- exchange differences                     41                  -               -            -             - 
Purchases                              61,346                  -               -            -             - 
                                    --------- 
Sales                                  (8,604)                 -               -            -             - 
Transfers out                               -                  -               -      (63,802)      (63,802) 
----------------------------------  ---------   ----------------  --------------  -----------   ----------- 
Transfers in                                -                  -               -            -             - 
----------------------------------  ---------   ----------------  --------------  -----------   ----------- 
At 31 Dec 2017                        118,233                  -               -        3,005         3,005 
----------------------------------  ---------   ----------------  --------------  -----------   ----------- 
Unrealised gains/(losses) 
 recognised in profit or loss 
 relating to assets and 
 liabilities 
 held at 31 Dec 2017                   (2,652)                 -               -        3,005        (3,005) 
---------------------------------- 
- trading income/(expense) 
 excluding net interest income              -                  -               -        3,005        (3,005) 
- gains less losses from financial 
 investments                           (2,652)                 -               -            -             - 
----------------------------------  ---------   ----------------  --------------  -----------   ----------- 
 

Effect of changes in significant unobservable assumptions to reasonably possible alternatives

 
 
 
 Sensitivity of Level 3 fair values to reasonably possible alternative assumptions 
                                                 31 Dec 2018                                        31 Dec 2017 
                               ------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------------- 
                               Reflected in profit or                            Reflected in profit or 
                                        loss               Reflected in OCI               loss                Reflected in OCI 
                               -----------------------  -----------------------  -----------------------  ------------------------- 
                                                  Un-                      Un-                      Un-                      Un- 
                               Favourable  favourable   Favourable  favourable   Favourable  favourable   Favourable  favourable 
                                  changes     changes      changes     changes      changes     changes      changes     changes 
                    Footnotes      US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000 
Derivatives, 
 trading assets 
 and trading 
 liabilities                1           9      (1,809)           -           -          301        (301)           -           - 
Financial assets 
 designated and 
 otherwise 
 mandatorily 
 measured at fair 
 value through 
 profit 
 or loss                            4,784      (2,392)           -           -          N/A         N/A          N/A         N/A 
------------------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ---------- 
Financial 
 investments                            -           -        5,292      (3,141)       2,443      (1,222)       9,380      (4,690) 
------------------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ---------- 
Total                               4,793      (4,201)       5,292      (3,141)       2,744      (1,523)       9,380      (4,690) 
------------------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ---------- 
 
 
 
1  Derivatives, trading assets and trading liabilities are presented as one category to reflect 
    the manner in which these instruments are risk-managed. 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    35 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Sensitivity of Level 3 fair values to reasonably possible alternative assumptions by instrument 
  type 
                                                2018                                               2017 
                          Reflected in profit or                            Reflected in profit or 
                                   loss               Reflected in OCI               loss                Reflected in OCI 
                          -----------------------  -----------------------  -----------------------  ------------------------- 
                                             Un-                      Un-                      Un-                      Un- 
                          Favourable  favourable   Favourable  favourable   Favourable  favourable   Favourable  favourable 
                             changes     changes      changes     changes      changes     changes      changes     changes 
                              US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000 
Private equity including 
 strategic investments         4,784      (2,392)       5,292      (1,961)       2,443      (1,222)       9,380      (4,690) 
Other derivatives                  9          (9)           -           -          301        (301)           -           - 
Other portfolios                   -      (1,800)           -      (1,180)           -           -            -           - 
------------------------  ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ---------- 
At 31 Dec                      4,793      (4,201)       5,292      (3,141)       2,744      (1,523)       9,380      (4,690) 
------------------------  ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ----------   ----------  ---------- 
 

Favourable and unfavourable changes are determined on the basis of changes in the value of the instrument as a result of varying the levels of the unobservable parameters using statistical techniques. The statistical techniques aim to apply a 95% confidence interval. When parameters are not amenable to statistical analysis, the quantification of uncertainty is judgemental, but is also guided by the 95% confidence interval.

When the fair value of a financial instrument is affected by more than one unobservable assumption, the above table reflects the most favourable or the most unfavourable change from varying the assumptions individually.

Key unobservable inputs to Level 3 financial instruments

 
 
 
 Quantitative information about significant unobservable inputs in Level 3 valuations 
                             Fair value                           2018                                          2017 
                                                  Full range of          Core range of          Full range of          Core range of 
                         Assets  Liabilities             inputs              inputs(1)                 inputs              inputs(1) 
                         US$000       US$000  Lower      Higher      Lower      Higher      Lower      Higher      Lower      Higher 
                        -------  -----------  -----      ------      -----      ------      -----      ------      -----      ------ 
Private equity 
 including strategic 
 investments             87,048            -    N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A 
                        ------- 
Interest rate                 -            -    N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A 
derivatives 
----------------------  -------  -----------  -----      ------      -----      ------      -----      ------      -----      ------ 
FX derivatives                -            -    N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A        0.4%          5%       0.4%          5% 
----------------------  -------  -----------  -----      ------      -----      ------      -----      ------      -----      ------ 
EM bonds                297,578            -    100%        100%       100%        100%       N/A         N/A        N/A         N/A 
                                 ----------- 
At 31 Dec 2018          384,626            - 
----------------------  -------  -----------  ---------  ----------  ---------  ----------  ---------  ----------  ---------  ---------- 
 
 
 
1  The core range of inputs is the estimated range within which 90% of the inputs fall. 
 

A description of the categories of key unobservable inputs is given below.

Private equity including strategic investments

Given the bespoke nature of the analysis in respect of each holding, it is not practical to quote a range of key unobservable inputs.

Prepayment rates

Prepayment rates are a measure of the anticipated future speed at which a loan portfolio will be repaid in advance of the due date. They vary according to the nature of the loan portfolio and expectations of future market conditions, and may be estimated using a variety of evidence, such as prepayment rates implied from proxy observable security prices, current or historical prepayment rates and macroeconomic modelling.

Market proxy

Market proxy pricing may be used for an instrument for which specific market pricing is not available, but evidence is available in respect of instruments that have common characteristics. In some cases it might be possible to identify a specific proxy, but more generally evidence across a wider range of instruments will be used to understand the factors that influence current market pricing and the manner of that influence.

Volatility

Volatility is a measure of the anticipated future variability of a market price. It varies by underlying reference market price, and by strike and maturity of the option.

Certain volatilities, typically those of a longer-dated nature, are unobservable and are estimated from observable data. The range of unobservable volatilities reflects the wide variation in volatility inputs by reference market price. The core range is significantly narrower than the full range because these examples with extreme volatilities occur relatively rarely within the group portfolio.

Correlation

Correlation is a measure of the inter-relationship between two market prices and is expressed as a number between minus one and one. It is used to value more complex instruments where the payout is dependent upon more than one market price. There is a wide range of instruments for which correlation is an input, and consequently a wide range of both same-asset correlations and cross-asset correlations is used. In general, the range of same-asset correlations will be narrower than the range of cross-asset correlations.

Unobservable correlations may be estimated based upon a range of evidence, including consensus pricing services, group trade prices, proxy correlations and examination of historical price relationships. The range of unobservable correlations quoted in the table reflects the wide variation in correlation inputs by market price pair.

Credit spread

Credit spread is the premium over a benchmark interest rate required by the market to accept a lower credit quality. In a discounted cash flow model, the credit spread increases the discount factors applied to future cash flows, thereby reducing the value of an asset. Credit spreads may be implied from market prices. Credit spreads may not be observable in more illiquid markets.

Inter-relationships between key unobservable inputs

Key unobservable inputs to Level 3 financial instruments may not be independent of each other. As described above, market variables may be correlated. This correlation typically reflects the manner in which different markets tend to react to macroeconomic or other events. Furthermore, the impact of changing market variables upon the group portfolio will depend upon the group's net risk position in respect of each variable.

 
 
 
 
 
 36   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 12   Fair values of financial instruments not carried at fair value 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Fair values of financial instruments not carried at fair value and bases of valuation 
                                                                              Fair value 
                                                        ------------------------------------------------------ 
                                                                                     Significant 
                                                               Quoted  Observable   unobservable 
                                              Carrying   market price      inputs         inputs 
                                                amount        Level 1     Level 2        Level 3       Total 
                                                US$000         US$000      US$000         US$000      US$000 
                                                        -------------  ----------  -------------  ---------- 
At 31 Dec 2018 
Assets 
Loans and advances to banks                  5,057,308              -   5,045,941              -   5,045,941 
Loans and advances to customers             20,073,375              -           -     19,726,291  19,726,291 
------------------------------------------ 
Reverse repurchase agreements - 
 non-trading                                   755,076              -     755,076              -     755,076 
------------------------------------------                                         ------------- 
Liabilities 
Deposits by banks                            1,582,477              -   1,582,218              -   1,582,218 
------------------------------------------ 
Customer accounts                           21,823,507              -  21,912,519              -  21,912,519 
------------------------------------------ 
Repurchase agreements - non-trading              2,999              -       2,999              -       2,999 
------------------------------------------  ----------  -------------  ----------  -------------  ---------- 
Debt securities in issue                     2,490,371              -   2,459,605              -   2,459,605 
------------------------------------------  ----------  -------------  ----------  -------------  ---------- 
At 31 Dec 2017 
------------------------------------------  ----------  -------------  ----------  -------------  ------------ 
Assets 
Loans and advances to banks                  6,203,202              -   6,194,592              -   6,194,592 
------------------------------------------ 
Loans and advances to customers             18,316,780              -           -     18,155,119  18,155,119 
------------------------------------------ 
Reverse repurchase agreements - 
 non-trading                                 1,387,254              -   1,387,254              -   1,387,254 
------------------------------------------ 
Liabilities 
Deposits by banks                            1,798,474              -   1,797,266              -   1,797,266 
------------------------------------------ 
Customer accounts                           22,583,649              -  22,793,255              -  22,793,255 
Debt securities in issue                     2,092,390              -   2,028,795              -   2,028,795 
------------------------------------------  ----------  -------------  ----------  -------------  ---------- 
 

Other financial instruments not carried at fair value are typically short-term in nature and re-priced to current market rates frequently. Accordingly, their carrying amount is a reasonable approximation of fair value.

Valuation

The fair value measurement is the group's estimate of the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. It does not reflect the economic benefits and costs that the group expects to flow from the instruments' cash flows over their expected future lives. Other reporting entities may use different valuation methodologies and assumptions in determining fair values for which no observable market prices are available.

Loans and advances to banks and customers

The fair value of loans and advances is based on observable market transactions, where available. In the absence of observable market transactions, fair value is estimated using valuation models that incorporate a range of input assumptions. These assumptions may include forward looking discounted cash flow models using assumptions which the group believes are consistent with those which would be used by market participants in valuing such loans; and trading inputs from other market participants which includes observed primary and secondary trades.

Loans are grouped, as far as possible, into homogeneous groups and stratified by loans with similar characteristics to improve the accuracy of estimated valuation outputs. The stratification of a loan book considers all material factors, including vintage, origination period, estimates of future interest rates, prepayment speeds, delinquency rates, loan-to-value ratios, the quality of collateral, default probability, and internal credit risk ratings.

The fair value of a loan reflects both loan impairments at the balance sheet date and estimates of market participants' expectations of credit losses over the life of the loans, and the fair value effect of repricing between origination and the balance sheet date.

Financial investments

The fair values of listed financial investments are determined using bid market prices. The fair values of unlisted financial investments are determined using valuation techniques that take into consideration the prices and future earnings streams of equivalent quoted securities.

Deposits by banks and customer accounts

Fair values are estimated using discounted cash flows, applying current rates offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities. The fair value of a deposit repayable on demand is approximated by its carrying value.

Debt securities in issue and subordinated liabilities

Fair values are determined using quoted market prices at the balance sheet date where available, or by reference to quoted market prices for similar instruments.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    37 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements - non-trading

Fair values approximate carrying amounts as their balances are generally short dated.

Debt securities

Subject to available quotes, the group uses composite market data to price debt securities at FVOCI. This is applicable to High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA) portfolio. For local currency bonds, where such market data is not available, verified internal valuation models are used for valuations. These are normally Local Government and Central bank securities issued in their local currencies and uses market data published by the issuing entities.

 
 
 
 13   Derivatives 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Notional contract amounts and fair values of derivatives by product contract type held by 
  the group 
                  Notional contract amount       Fair value - Assets         Fair value - Liabilities 
                 --------------------------  ---------------------------  ------------------------------ 
                       Trading      Hedging   Trading   Hedging    Total   Trading   Hedging     Total 
                        US$000       US$000    US$000    US$000   US$000    US$000    US$000    US$000 
Foreign 
 exchange           80,982,182    1,922,755   413,613    23,240  436,853   448,502        59   448,561 
                 -------------  ----------- 
Interest rate       52,054,524    5,749,262   436,043    43,973  480,016   445,607    21,899   467,506 
Equities                 3,740            -       442         -      442       442         -       442 
Credit                  96,339            -       807         -      807       326         -       326 
Commodity and 
 other                 686,791            -    35,104         -   35,104    35,141         -    35,141 
                 ------------- 
At 31 Dec 2018     133,823,576    7,672,017   886,009    67,213  953,222   930,018    21,958   951,976 
---------------  -------------  -----------  --------  --------  -------  --------  --------  -------- 
 
Foreign 
 exchange           66,715,598    1,346,629   484,842     4,424  489,266   498,264        24   498,288 
Interest rate       46,525,580    4,354,726   415,242    22,697  437,939   410,801     7,555   418,356 
Equities                52,036            -       685         -      685       685         -       685 
Credit                 217,634            -       857         -      857       234         -       234 
Commodity and 
 other               1,168,608            -    34,355         -   34,355    34,769         -    34,769 
                 ------------- 
At 31 Dec 2017     114,679,456    5,701,355   935,981    27,121  963,102   944,753     7,579   952,332 
---------------  -------------  -----------  --------  --------  -------  --------  --------  -------- 
 

The notional contract amounts of derivatives held for trading purposes and derivatives designated in qualifying hedge accounting indicate the nominal value of transactions outstanding at the balance sheet date; they do not represent amounts at risk.

Use of derivatives

The group transacts derivatives for three primary purposes: to create risk management solutions for clients, to manage the portfolio risks arising from client business and to manage and hedge the group's own risks.

The group's derivative activities give rise to significant open positions in portfolios of derivatives. These positions are managed constantly to ensure that they remain within acceptable risk levels. When entering into derivative transactions, the group employs the same credit risk management framework to assess and approve potential credit exposures that it uses for traditional lending.

Trading derivatives

Most of the group's derivative transactions relate to sales and trading activities. Sales activities include the structuring and marketing of derivative products to customers to enable them to take, transfer, modify or reduce current or expected risks. Trading activities include market-making and risk management. Market-making entails quoting bid and offer prices to other market participants for the purpose of generating revenues based on spread and volume. Risk management activity is undertaken to manage the risk arising from client transactions, with the principal purpose of retaining client margin. Other derivatives classified as held for trading include non-qualifying hedging derivatives.

Derivatives valued using models with unobservable inputs

The difference between the fair value at initial recognition (the transaction price) and the value that would have been derived had valuation techniques used for subsequent measurement been applied at initial recognition, less subsequent releases, is nil

(2017: nil).

Hedge accounting derivatives

Fair value hedges

The group enters into to fixed-for-floating-interest-rate swaps to manage the exposure to changes in fair value due to movements in market interest rates on certain fixed rate financial instruments which are not measured at fair value through profit or loss, including debt securities held and issued.

 
 
 
 Hedging instrument by hedged risk 
                                                       Hedging Instrument 
                 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                       Carrying amount 
                                     ------------------- 
                 Notional amount(1)  Assets  Liabilities                              Change in fair value(2) 
Hedged Risk                  US$000  US$000       US$000  Balance sheet presentation                   US$000 
                 ------------------  ------  -----------                              ----------------------- 
Interest rate             1,680,150  11,688        9,029                 Derivatives                   (5,835) 
---------------  ------------------  ------  -----------                              ----------------------- 
 At 31 Dec 2018           1,680,150  11,688        9,029                                               (5,835) 
---------------  ------------------  ------  -----------  --------------------------  ----------------------- 
 
 
 
1  The notional contract amounts of derivatives designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships 
    indicate the nominal value of transactions outstanding at the balance sheet date; they do 
    not represent amounts at risk. 
 
 
 
2  Used in effectiveness testing; comprising the full fair value change of the hedging instrument 
    not excluding any component. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 38   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Hedged item by hedged risk 
                                        Hedged Item                                    In-effectiveness 
           ----------------------------------------------------------------------  ------------------------- 
                                        Accumulated fair 
                                             value hedge 
                                    adjustments included 
                  Carrying amount     in carrying amount 
           ----------------------  ---------------------  ------------ 
                                                                          Change   Recognised 
                                                                         in fair    in profit 
              Assets  Liabilities   Assets   Liabilities                value(1)     and loss 
                                                               Balance                            Profit and 
Hedged                                                           sheet                                  loss 
 Risk           $000         $000     $000          $000  presentation      $000         $000   presentation 
                      -----------  -------   -----------                --------   ---------- 
 
Interest 
 rate      1,202,221            -  (11,716)            -         FVOCI     5,345          (33) 
                                                                                   ----------   ------------ 
Interest 
 rate              -            -        -             -   L&A to Bank      (267) 
                                                                                   ---------- 
Interest 
 rate              -            -        -             -   L&A to Cust       404 
---------  ---------  -----------  -------   -----------  ------------  -------- 
Interest 
 rate              -      119,169        -         2,506   Debt issued       936 
                                                                                                  Net income 
                                                                                                        from 
                                                                                                   financial 
                                                                                                 instruments 
                                                                                                    held for 
                                                                                                  trading or 
                                                                                                managed on a 
Interest                                                                                          fair value 
rate               -      259,910        -             -  Depo by Bank      (616)                      basis 
                                                                                   ----------   ------------ 
At 31 Dec 
     2018  1,202,221      379,079  (11,716)        2,506                   5,802          (33) 
---------  ---------  -----------  -------   -----------  ------------  --------   ----------   ------------ 
 
 
 
1  Used in effectiveness assessment; comprising amount attributable to the designated hedged 
    risk that can be a risk component. 
 

The hedged item is either the benchmark interest rate risk portion within the fixed rate of the hedged item or the full fixed rate and it is hedged for changes in fair value due to changes in the benchmark interest rate risk.

Sources of hedge ineffectiveness may arise from basis risk including but not limited to the discount rates used for calculating the fair value of derivatives, hedges using instruments with a non-zero fair value and notional and timing differences between the hedged items and hedging instruments.

For some debt securities held, the group manages interest rate risk in a dynamic risk management strategy. The assets in scope of this strategy are high quality fixed-rate debt securities, which may be sold to meet liquidity and funding requirements.

The interest rate risk of the group fixed rate debt securities issued is managed in a non-dynamic risk management strategy.

Cash flow hedges

The group's cash flow hedging instruments consist principally of interest rate swaps and cross-currency swaps that are used to manage the variability in future interest cash flows of non-trading financial assets and liabilities, arising due to changes in market interest rates and foreign-currency basis.

The group applies macro cash flow hedging for interest-rate risk exposures on portfolios of replenishing current and forecasted issuances of non-trading assets and liabilities that bear interest at variable rates, including rolling such instruments. The amounts and timing of future cash flows, representing both principal and interest flows, are projected for each portfolio of financial assets and liabilities on the basis of their contractual terms and other relevant factors, including estimates of prepayments and defaults. The aggregate cash flows representing both principal balances and interest cash flows across all portfolios are used to determine the effectiveness and ineffectiveness. Macro cash flow hedges are considered to be dynamic hedges.

The group also hedges the variability in future cash-flows on foreign-denominated financial assets and liabilities arising due to changes in foreign exchange market rates with cross-currency swaps; these are considered non-dynamic hedges.

 
 
 
 Hedging instrument by hedged risk 
                                                                       Hedged 
                              Hedging Instrument                        Item          Ineffectiveness 
                         Carrying amount 
                       -------------------  ------------ 
                                                            Change   Change in   Recognised 
             Notional                                      in fair        fair    in profit 
            amount(1)  Assets  Liabilities                value(2)    value(3)     and loss 
                                                 Balance                                        Profit and 
Hedged                                             sheet                                              loss 
 Risk            $000    $000         $000  presentation      $000        $000         $000   presentation 
                       ------  -----------                --------   ---------   ---------- 
Foreign 
 currency   1,922,755  23,240           59   Derivatives    (1,041)          -           (5) 
----------                                                --------   ---------   ----------   ------------ 
                                                                                                Net income 
                                                                                                      from 
                                                                                                 financial 
                                                                                               instruments 
                                                                                                  held for 
                                                                                                trading or 
                                                                                              managed on a 
Interest                                                                                        fair value 
rate        4,069,112  32,285       12,870   Derivatives   (12,340)    (13,208)         178          basis 
            ---------  ------  -----------  ------------  --------   ---------   ----------   ------------ 
At 31 Dec 
 2018       5,991,867  55,525       12,929                 (13,381)    (13,208)         173 
----------  ---------  ------  -----------  ------------  --------   ---------   ----------   ------------ 
 
 
 
1.  The notional contract amounts of derivatives designated in qualifying hedge accounting relationships 
     indicate the nominal value of transactions outstanding at the balance sheet date; they do 
     not represent amounts at risk. 
 
 
 
2.  Used in effectiveness testing; comprising the full fair value change of the hedging instrument 
     not excluding any component. 
 
 
 
3.  Used in effectiveness assessment; comprising amount attributable to the designated hedged 
     risk that can be a risk component. 
 
 
 
 
 14   Financial investments 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Carrying amount of financial investments 
                                                                                                 2018       2017 
                                                                                 Footnotes     US$000     US$000 
                                                                                 ---------  ---------  --------- 
Financial investment measured at fair value through other comprehensive income 
Treasury and other eligible bills                                                           1,495,474  1,326,312 
Debt securities                                                                             4,200,099  5,301,959 
Equity securities(1)                                                                     1     39,203    118,233 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
At 31 Dec                                                                                   5,734,776  6,746,504 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 
 
 
1  The dividends recognised on these investments during the year were US$ 0.757 million (2017: 
    US$ Nil). 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    39 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 15   Assets charged as security for liabilities, and collateral accepted as security for assets 
---  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Collateral accepted as security for assets

The fair value of financial assets accepted as collateral that the group is permitted to sell or repledge in the absence of default is

US$917 million (2017: US$1,410 million). The fair value of any such collateral sold or repledged is nil (2017: nil). The group is obliged to return these assets. These transactions are conducted under terms that are usual and customary to standard securities borrowing and reverse repurchase agreements.

The fair value of assets pledged as collateral but that do not qualify for derecognition is US$3 million (2017: nil).

 
 
 
 16   Interests in associates and joint arrangement 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Associates of the group

 
 
 
                                                                  At 31 Dec 2018 
                                        Country of                         The group's interest 
                                     incorporation     Principal activity     in equity capital  Issued equity capital 
                             ---------------------  ---------------------  --------------------  --------------------- 
MENA Infrastructure Fund                              Private Equity fund                              US$0.99 million 
(GP) Limited                            Dubai, UAE             management                33.33%             fully paid 
---------------------------  ---------------------  ---------------------  --------------------  --------------------- 
 

The above associate is not considered significant to the group and is unlisted.

 
 
 
 Summarised financial information in respect of associates not individually significant 
                                                                           2018         2017 
                                                                         US$000       US$000 
-----------------------------------------------------------------                ----------- 
Carrying value                                                            2,423        1,948 
                                                                   ------------ 
The group's share of 
- assets                                                                  2,629        2,180 
- liabilities                                                               206          232 
- profit or loss from continuing operations                                 475          290 
- total comprehensive income                                                475          290 
-----------------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ----------- 
 
 
 
 
 Movements in interests in associates 
                                                          2018       2017 
                                                        US$000     US$000 
---------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
At 1 Jan                                                 1,948      1,658 
Disposals                                                    -          - 
Share of results                                           475        290 
Dividends                                                    -          - 
Other movements and foreign exchange                         -          - 
--------------------------------------------------- 
Reclassification from associate to joint operation           -          - 
---------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
At 31 Dec                                                2,423      1,948 
---------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

Joint arrangement of the group

 
 
 
                                                                    At 31 Dec 2018 
                                            Country of                      The group's interest         Issued equity 
                                         incorporation  Principal activity     in equity capital               capital 
                                 ---------------------  ------------------  --------------------  -------------------- 
HSBC Middle East Leasing                                                                          US$621 million fully 
Partnership - (Joint operation)             Dubai, UAE             Leasing                15.00%                  paid 
-------------------------------  ---------------------  ------------------  --------------------  -------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 17   Investments in subsidiaries 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Subsidiary undertakings of the bank 
                                                                              At 31 Dec 2018 
                                                    ------------------------------------------------------------------ 
                                                       Country of incorporation or       Bank's interest in equity 
                                                                      registration                         capital 
                                                                                    ------------------------------ 
HSBC Financial Services (Middle East) Limited (in 
 liquidation)                                                           Dubai, UAE                             100% 
                                                    ------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
HSBC Middle East Finance Company Limited                                Dubai, UAE                              80% 
                                                    ------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
HSBC Middle East Securities LLC                                         Dubai, UAE                             100% 
                                                    ------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
HSBC Insurance Services (Lebanon) S.A.L. (in 
 liquidation)                                                              Lebanon                             100% 
HSBC Bank Middle East Representative Office 
 Morocco S.A.R.L.                                                          Morocco                             100% 
--------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
 

All the above prepare their financial statements up to 31 December and the countries of operation are the same as the countries of incorporation.

 
 
 
 
 
 40   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

The subsidiary undertakings are unlisted, directly owned and are included in the consolidated financial statements of the group.

In order to comply with local legal requirements, the ownership of the investment in HSBC Middle East Securities LLC is held 49.00%

in the name of the bank and 51.00% in the personal name of Mr. Abdul Wahid Al Ulama, as nominee. Under a Memorandum of Understanding, the nominee has transferred his legal and/or beneficial interest in HSBC Middle East Securities LLC to the bank. The

total book value of the assets of HSBC Middle East Securities LLC amount to US$3.5 million (2017: US$3.2 million).

 
 
 
 18   Prepayments, accrued income and other assets 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                         2018       2017 
                                                       US$000     US$000 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Prepayments and accrued income                        185,504     82,271 
                                                    --------- 
Endorsements and acceptances                          505,981    461,318 
Other accounts                                        179,579     66,065 
Property, plant and equipment*                        299,003     48,240 
At 31 Dec                                           1,170,067    657,894 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

*Increase in property, plant and equipment is mainly from the acquisition of HSBC Tower US$ 252million in 2018.

 
 
 
 19   Assets held for sale and liabilities of disposal groups held for sale and intangible assets 
---  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Disposal groups - Lebanon

On 16 November 2016, the bank entered into an agreement with BLOM BANK S.A.L. to sell the banking operations in Lebanon and on

16 June 2017 completed the disposal.

Intangible Assets

Included within intangible assets is internally generated software with a net carrying value of US$29 million (2017: US$5 million).

During the year, capitalisation of internally generated software was US$27 million (2017: US$6 million) and amortisation was US$4 million (2017: US$3 million).

 
 
 
 20   Trading liabilities 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

The sale of borrowed securities is classified as trading liabilities.

 
 
 
                                                             2018       2017 
                                                           US$000     US$000 
------------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Deposits by banks                                               -      6,457 
Customer accounts                                           9,964      1,743 
Other debt securities in issue (Note 22)                        -  1,267,800 
Other liabilities - net short positions in securities      49,059     33,860 
At 31 Dec                                                  59,023  1,309,860 
------------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 
 
 
 
 21   Financial liabilities designated at fair value 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                         2018       2017 
                                                       US$000     US$000 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Deposits by bank and customer accounts                259,853          - 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Debt securities in issue (Note 22)                  1,758,113    739,425 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Total                                               2,017,966    739,425 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

At 31 December 2018, the accumulated amount of change in fair value attributable to changes in credit risk was a loss of US$ 18.8 million (2017: US$2.8 million loss).

 
 
 
 22   Debt securities in issue 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                              2018                            2017 
                                                  Carrying amount   Fair value   Carrying amount   Fair value 
                                                           US$000       US$000            US$000       US$000 
------------------------------------------------  ---------------   ----------   ---------------   ---------- 
Medium-term notes                                       3,298,484    3,298,303         3,149,615    3,150,286 
                                                                    ---------- 
Non-equity preference shares                              950,000      919,415           950,000      885,734 
Total debt securities in issue                          4,248,484    4,217,718         4,099,615    4,036,020 
                                                  --------------- 
Included within: 
- trading liabilities (Note 20)                                 -            -        (1,267,800)  (1,267,800) 
- financial liabilities designated at fair value 
 (Note 21)                                             (1,758,113)  (1,758,113)         (739,425)    (739,425) 
                                                  ---------------   ---------- 
At 31 Dec                                               2,490,371    2,459,605         2,092,390    2,028,795 
------------------------------------------------  ---------------   ----------   ---------------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    41 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Certain debt securities in issue are managed on a fair value basis as part of the group's interest rate risk management policies. The hedged portion of these debt securities is presented within the balance sheet caption 'Financial liabilities designated at fair value', with the remaining portion included within 'Trading liabilities'.

Non-equity preference share capital

Authorised

The authorised non-equity preference share capital of the bank at 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2017 was 1,125,000 dated preference shares of US$1.00 each and 225,000 undated preference shares of US$1.00 each.

Issued

Undated preference shares

 
 
 
                                                                                           Redeemable at the option of 
Issue number       Issue date  Undated preference shares            Preference dividends    the bank on any date after 
                                                  Number                               %                          Date 
                                                              12 month US dollar LIBOR + 
1             29 October 1997                     50,000                            0.35               30 October 2002 
                                                              12 month US dollar LIBOR + 
2                1 April 1998                     25,000                            0.70                  2 April 2003 
                                                              12 month US dollar LIBOR + 
6               14 March 2006                    150,000                            0.65                 15 March 2011 
------------  ---------------  -------------------------    ----------------------------  ---------------------------- 
 
 
 
1  The undated preference shares have been issued at a nominal value of US$1 each with a premium 
    of US$999 per share. 
 
 
 
2  Preference dividends are payable annually on the issue price of each undated share. 
 
 
 
3  The undated preference shares bear no mandatory redemption date. On redemption, the holders 
    of the shares shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to any accrued but unpaid dividends 
    plus the issue price of each share. 
 
 
 
4  Each share carries one vote at meetings of the shareholders of the bank. 
 
 
 
5  In the event of a winding up, the preference shareholders would receive, in priority to the 
    ordinary shareholders of the bank, repayment of US$1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to 
    any accrued but unpaid dividends. With the exception of the above, the preference shares do 
    not carry any right to participate in the surplus of assets on a winding up. 
 

Dated preference shares

 
 
 
                                                                                           Redeemable at the option of 
Issue number        Issue date  Dated preference shares             Preference dividends    the bank on any date after 
                                                 Number                                %                          Date 
------------  ----------------  -----------------------    -----------------------------  ---------------------------- 
                                                               3 month US dollar LIBOR + 
11            16 December 2014                  250,000                             2.40              16 December 2019 
                                                               3 month US dollar LIBOR + 
11            16 December 2014                  250,000                             2.70              16 December 2024 
                                                               3 month US dollar LIBOR + 
12            30 December 2014                  225,000                             2.70              30 December 2024 
------------  ----------------  -----------------------    -----------------------------  ---------------------------- 
 
 
 
1  The dated preference shares have been issued at a nominal value of US$1 each with a premium 
    of US$999 per share. 
 
 
 
2  Preference dividends are payable quarterly on the issue price of each dated share. 
 
 
 
3  Redemption of the dated preference shares, other than at the option of the bank, will be subject 
    to the approval of the ordinary shareholders of the bank. The earliest redemption date is 
    as disclosed in the table above and if not approved by the shareholders will next fall for 
    review at 10 yearly intervals thereafter. However, the shares may be redeemed at the option 
    of the Bank without the approval of the ordinary shareholders of the bank. On redemption, 
    the holders of the shares shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to any accrued but 
    unpaid dividends plus the issue price of each share. 
 
 
 
4  In the event of a winding up, the preference shareholders would receive, in priority to the 
    ordinary shareholders of the bank, repayment of US$1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to 
    any accrued but unpaid dividends. With the exception of the above, the preference shares do 
    not carry any right to participate in the surplus of assets on a winding up. 
 
 
 
 
 23   Accruals, deferred income and other liabilities 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                            2018       2017 
                                                          US$000     US$000 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Accruals and deferred income                             222,860    194,893 
Share-based payments liability to HSBC Holdings plc       14,216     16,981 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Endorsements and acceptances                             506,465    461,318 
Employee benefit liabilities (Note 5)                    168,261    175,445 
Other liabilities                                        703,378    771,056 
At 31 Dec                                              1,615,180  1,619,693 
-----------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 42   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 24   Provisions 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                             Legal 
                                                       proceedings 
                                                               and 
                       Restructuring    Contractual     regulatory       Customer         Other 
                               costs    commitments        matters    remediation    provisions     Total 
                              US$000         US$000         US$000         US$000        US$000    US$000 
                       -------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   -----------   ------- 
At 1 Jan 2018                  6,762         15,631         27,352            238        21,625    71,608 
Impact on transition 
 to IFRS 9                         -         36,418              -              -             -    36,418 
---------------------  -------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   -----------   ------- 
Additions                      5,068              -          8,288              -         1,214    14,570 
Amounts utilised              (4,468)             -        (18,296)          (187)       (5,196)  (28,147) 
Unused amounts 
 reversed                     (3,174)             -         (2,332)           (29)         (898)   (6,433) 
Net Change in 
 expected credit loss 
 provision                         -        (18,873)             -              -             -   (18,873) 
---------------------  -------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   ----------- 
Exchange and other 
 movements                         -           (138)            94              -        (2,948)   (2,992) 
---------------------  -------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   ----------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                 4,188         33,038         15,106             22        13,797    66,151 
---------------------  -------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   -----------   ------- 
 
At 1 Jan 2017                  5,032          8,391          7,420          3,150        19,796    43,789 
--------------------- 
Additions                      6,749          8,193         21,715            375        11,109    48,141 
Amounts utilised              (3,623)             -           (849)          (690)       (8,888)  (14,050) 
Unused amounts 
 reversed                     (1,398)             -         (1,580)        (2,597)          (89)   (5,664) 
Exchange and other 
 movements                         2           (953)           646              -          (303)     (608) 
At 31 Dec 2017                 6,762         15,631         27,352            238        21,625    71,608 
---------------------  -------------   ------------   ------------   ------------   -----------   ------- 
 
 
 
 
 25   Maturity analysis of assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet commitments 
---  --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

The following is an analysis by remaining contractual maturities at the balance sheet date, of assets and liability line items that combine amounts expected to be recovered or settled within one year and after more than one year.

Trading assets and liabilities are excluded because they are not held for collection or settlement over the period of contractual maturity.

 
 
 
 Maturity analysis of assets and liabilities 
                                     At 31 Dec 2018                             At 31 Dec 2017 
                         ---------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------ 
                         Due within 1    Due after 1               Due within 1    Due after 1 
                                 year           year       Total           year           year       Total 
                               US$000         US$000      US$000         US$000         US$000      US$000 
                         ------------  -------------  ----------  -------------  -------------  ---------- 
Financial assets 
Loans and advances to 
 banks                      4,464,847        592,461   5,057,308      6,047,593        155,609   6,203,202 
                         ------------  -------------  ----------  -------------  ------------- 
Loans and advances to 
 customers                 10,367,959      9,705,416  20,073,375      9,956,254      8,360,526  18,316,780 
Reverse repurchase 
 agreements - 
 non-trading                  475,555        279,521     755,076      1,387,254              -   1,387,254 
-----------------------  ------------  -------------  ---------- 
Financial investments       3,257,430      2,477,346   5,734,776      4,444,066      2,302,438   6,746,504 
Other financial assets        850,443          3,759     854,202        525,120          2,227     527,347 
-----------------------                               ----------  -------------  -------------  ---------- 
                           19,416,234     13,058,503  32,474,737     22,360,287     10,820,800  33,181,087 
-----------------------  ------------  ------------- 
Financial liabilities 
                         ------------  ------------- 
Deposits by banks             882,629        699,848   1,582,477      1,638,836        159,638   1,798,474 
                         ------------  ------------- 
Customer accounts          21,755,312         68,195  21,823,507     22,561,753         21,896  22,583,649 
                         ------------  ------------- 
Financial liabilities 
 designated at fair 
 value                      1,073,802        944,164   2,017,966              -        739,425     739,425 
                         ------------  ------------- 
Debt securities in 
 issue                        955,723      1,534,648   2,490,371        594,783      1,497,607   2,092,390 
Other financial 
 liabilities                1,325,857          2,416   1,328,273      1,205,108         27,153   1,232,261 
-----------------------  ------------  -------------  ----------  -------------  -------------  ---------- 
                           25,993,323      3,249,271  29,242,594     26,000,480      2,445,719  28,446,199 
-----------------------  ------------  -------------  ----------  -------------  -------------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    43 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Cash flows payable by the group under financial liabilities by remaining contractual maturities 
                                                                      Due between 
                                                      On  Due within        3 and     Due between  Due after 
                                                  demand    3 months    12 months   1 and 5 years    5 years 
                                                  US$000      US$000       US$000          US$000     US$000 
Deposits by banks                                236,197   1,122,269      203,919         767,452          - 
Customer accounts                             18,239,733   1,839,448    1,710,561          69,211          - 
Trading liabilities                               59,023           -            -               -          - 
                                              ----------  ---------- 
Financial liabilities designated at fair 
 value                                                 -      46,133    1,046,993         732,209    243,307 
                                              ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
Derivatives                                      930,009       2,722        4,907          14,329          - 
                                              ----------  ----------  -----------  -------------- 
Debt securities in issue                         225,000     324,054      463,917       1,073,248    475,000 
Other financial liabilities                      398,444   1,129,190      106,151           3,759          - 
                                              20,088,406   4,463,816    3,536,448       2,660,208    718,307 
--------------------------------------------  ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
Loan and other credit-related commitments     15,896,909       8,330        1,181               -          - 
                                              ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
Financial guarantees and similar contracts     6,369,554           -            -               -          - 
                                              ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                                42,354,869   4,472,146    3,537,629       2,660,208    718,307 
--------------------------------------------  ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
 
Deposits by banks                              1,365,333     128,275      148,739         166,599          - 
Customer accounts                             19,600,841   1,717,815    1,247,771          22,252          - 
Trading liabilities                            1,309,860           -            -               -          - 
                                              ----------  ---------- 
Financial liabilities designated at fair 
 value                                                 -       6,298       30,447         764,184          - 
Derivatives                                      944,753         236          845           6,498          - 
                                              ----------  ----------  -----------  -------------- 
Debt securities in issue                         225,000     349,935       20,365         774,672    725,000 
Other financial liabilities                      902,077     406,058      128,081          27,148          - 
                                              24,347,864   2,608,617    1,576,248       1,761,353    725,000 
--------------------------------------------  ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
Loan and other credit-related commitments      3,135,419   5,037,874    6,318,227       1,397,841  1,042,070 
Financial guarantees and similar contracts     6,816,340           -            -               -          - 
                                              ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
At 31 Dec 2017                                34,299,623   7,646,491    7,894,475       3,159,194  1,767,070 
--------------------------------------------  ----------  ----------  -----------  --------------  --------- 
 

Trading liabilities and trading derivatives have been included in the 'On demand' time bucket, and not by contractual maturity, because trading liabilities are typically held for short periods of time. The undiscounted cash flows on hedging derivative liabilities are classified according to their contractual maturity. The undiscounted cash flows potentially payable under financial guarantee contracts are classified on the basis of the earliest date they can be drawn down.

Further discussion of the group's liquidity and funding management can be found in Note 31 'Risk management'.

 
 
 
 26   Offsetting of financial assets and financial liabilities 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

The 'Amounts not set off in the balance sheet' include transactions where:

 
 
--  the counterparty has an offsetting exposure with the group and a master netting or similar 
     arrangement is in place with a right to set off only in the event of default, insolvency or 
     bankruptcy, or the offset criteria are otherwise not satisfied; and 
 
 
 
--  in the case of derivatives and reverse repurchase/repurchase, stock borrowing/lending and 
     similar agreements, cash and non-cash collateral has been received/pledged. 
 

For risk management purposes, the net amounts of loans and advances to customers are subject to limits, which are monitored and the relevant customer agreements are subject to review and updated, as necessary, to ensure that the legal right to set off remains appropriate.

 
 
 
 
 
 44   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
                                          Amounts subject to enforceable netting arrangements 
                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
                                                                             Amounts not set off 
                                                                               in the balance 
                                                                                    sheet 
                                                                             ------------------- 
                                                         Net amounts in the 
                          Gross amounts  Amounts offset       balance sheet     Cash collateral   Net amount 
                                 US$000          US$000              US$000              US$000       US$000 
                          -------------  --------------  ------------------  ------------------   ---------- 
Financial assets 
Derivatives (Note 13)           953,222               -             953,222                   -      953,222 
                          ------------- 
Reverse repos, 
 securities borrowing 
 and similar agreements 
 classified as:                 755,076               -             755,076                   -      755,076 
                                                                             ------------------ 
- loans and advances to 
 banks and customers at 
 amortised cost                 755,076               -             755,076                   -      755,076 
------------------------  -------------  --------------  ------------------ 
Loans and advances to 
 customers excluding 
 reverse repos at 
 amortised cost                 536,026               -             536,026            (161,515)     374,511 
                          -------------                                      ------------------ 
At 31 Dec 2018                2,244,324               -           2,244,324            (161,515)   2,082,809 
------------------------  -------------  --------------  ------------------  ------------------   ---------- 
Derivatives (Note 13)           963,102               -             963,102                   -      963,102 
Reverse repos, 
 securities borrowing 
 and similar agreements 
 classified as:               1,387,254               -           1,387,254                   -    1,387,254 
- loans and advances to 
 banks and customers at 
 amortised cost               1,387,254               -           1,387,254                   -    1,387,254 
------------------------ 
Loans and advances to 
 customers excluding 
 reverse repos at 
 amortised cost                 581,219               -             581,219            (103,251)     477,968 
------------------------ 
At 31 Dec 2017                2,931,575               -           2,931,575            (103,251)   2,828,324 
------------------------  -------------  --------------  ------------------  ------------------   ---------- 
Financial liabilities 
Derivatives (Note 13)           951,976               -             951,976                   -      951,976 
At 31 Dec 2018                  951,976               -             951,976                   -      951,976 
------------------------  -------------  --------------  ------------------  ------------------   ---------- 
Derivatives (Note 13)           952,332               -             952,332                   -      952,332 
At 31 Dec 2017                  952,332               -             952,332                   -      952,332 
------------------------  -------------  --------------  ------------------  ------------------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
 27   Foreign exchange exposure 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Structural foreign exchange exposures

The group's structural foreign currency exposure is represented by the net asset value of its foreign currency equity and subordinated debt investments in subsidiaries, branches and associates with non-US dollar functional currencies. Gains or losses on structural foreign exchange exposures are recognised in other comprehensive income.

The main operating currencies of the group are UAE dirham and other Gulf currencies that are linked to the US dollar.

The group's management of structural foreign currency exposures is discussed in Note 30 'Risk management'.

Net structural foreign currency exposures

 
 
 
 Currency of structural exposure 
                                                          2018       2017 
                                                        US$000     US$000 
Algerian dinar                                         147,528    151,586 
Bahraini dinar                                          78,546     79,160 
Kuwaiti dinar                                          209,635    198,260 
Lebanese pound                                             318        345 
Moroccan dirham                                            156        117 
Qatari riyal                                           339,403    374,482 
UAE dirham                                           2,184,991  2,054,022 
Total                                                2,960,577  2,857,972 
---------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 
 
 
 
 28   Called up share capital and share premium 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Authorised

The authorised ordinary share capital of the Bank at 31 December 2018 was 1,500,000,000 (2017: 1,500,000,000) ordinary shares(1)

of US$1.00 each.

Called up share capital and share premium

 
 
 
 Issued and fully paid 
                                            2018                      2017 
                        Footnotes       Number      US$000       Number      US$000 
                                   -----------  ----------  -----------  ---------- 
At 1 Jan                           931,055,001     931,055  931,055,000     931,055 
Shares issued                   2            -           -            1           - 
----------------------  ---------  -----------  ----------  -----------  ---------- 
At 31 Dec                       1  931,055,001     931,055  931,055,001     931,055 
----------------------  ---------  -----------  ----------  -----------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    45 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Share premium 
                                                              2018        2017 
                                             Footnotes      US$000      US$000 
                                                        ----------  ---------- 
At 31 Dec                                            2      61,346      61,346 
-------------------------------------------  ---------  ----------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
 Total called up share capital and share premium 
                                                              2018        2017 
                                             Footnotes      US$000      US$000 
                                                        ----------  ---------- 
At 31 Dec                                            2     992,401     992,401 
-------------------------------------------  ---------  ----------  ---------- 
 
 
 
1  All ordinary shares in issue confer identical rights, including in respect of capital, dividends 
    and voting. 
 
 
 
2  On 29 June 2017 (the 'transaction date'), the bank acquired 10.01% stake in HSBC Bank A.S. 
    in Turkey from HSBC Bank plc. The acquisition was settled through the issuance of one ordinary 
    share, which was allotted to its sole shareholder, HSBC Middle East Holdings BV, with a nominal 
    value of US$1.00, at a premium of US$61.3 million recognised as share premium account as at 
    the transaction date. 
 
 
 
 
 29   Notes on the statement of cash flows 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
Non-cash items included in profit before tax 
                                                                                    2018        2017 
                                                                                  US$000      US$000 
                                                                              ---------- 
Depreciation, amortisation and impairment                                         20,153      19,027 
                                                                              ---------- 
Share-based payment expense                                                       11,031       9,836 
                                                                              ---------- 
Change in expected credit losses and other credit impairment charges             145,398         N/A 
                                                                              ---------- 
Loan impairment losses gross of recoveries and other credit risk provisions          N/A     149,912 
                                                                              ---------- 
Provisions including pensions                                                     36,732      42,477 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
Impairment of financial investments                                                  N/A       2,660 
                                                                              ---------- 
Other non-cash items included in profit before tax                                28,108      26,744 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
                                                                                 241,422     250,656 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
Change in operating assets 
                                                              2018         2017 
                                                             US$000      US$000 
Change in other assets                                    (229,983)     863,639 
------------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
Change in net trading securities and net derivatives    (2,770,995)    (545,480) 
                                                        ---------- 
Change in loans and advances to banks and customers     (1,683,279)   1,178,527 
                                                        ----------   ---------- 
Change in reverse repurchase agreements - non-trading      666,044     (336,411) 
                                                        ---------- 
Change in mandatory deposits at central banks               20,599      300,003 
                                                        ----------   ---------- 
Change in financial assets designated at fair value        (47,839)           - 
                                                        ---------- 
                                                        (4,045,453)   1,460,278 
------------------------------------------------------  ----------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
Change in operating liabilities 
                                                                 2018         2017 
                                                                US$000      US$000 
Change in other liabilities                                   (14,051)    (832,197) 
---------------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
Change in deposits by banks and customer accounts            (976,138)  (1,453,458) 
---------------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
Change in debt securities in issue                            397,981     (553,093) 
                                                           ---------- 
Change in financial liabilities designated at fair value    1,278,541      337,833 
                                                           ---------- 
Change in provisions                                                -      (14,050) 
Change in repurchase agreements - non-trading                   2,999            - 
---------------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
                                                              689,332   (2,514,965) 
---------------------------------------------------------  ----------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
 Cash and cash equivalents 
                                                                                       2018         2017 
                                                                                      US$000      US$000 
Cash and balances at central banks                                                1,170,359      671,440 
                                                                                 ---------- 
Items in the course of collection from other banks                                   81,984       64,419 
                                                                                 ---------- 
Loans and advances to banks of one month or less                                  2,538,093    3,345,397 
                                                                                 ---------- 
Reverse repurchase agreement with banks of one month or less                         33,866       43,921 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
Treasury bills, other bills and certificates of deposit less than three months       38,261    1,762,411 
                                                                                 ---------- 
Less: items in the course of transmission to other banks                           (263,907)     (87,502) 
                                                                                 ---------- 
Less: mandatory deposits at central banks *                                      (1,918,699)  (1,939,298) 
Total cash and cash equivalents                                                   1,679,957    3,860,788 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------   ---------- 
 

*Mandatory deposits at central bank have been excluded from the cash and cash equivalents in 2018 and similar change has been reflected for 2017.

Total interest paid by the group during the year was US$110 million (2017: US$129 million). Total interest received by the group during the year was US$938 million (2017: US$1,067 million). Total dividends received by the group during the year were US$6.6million (2017: US$4 million).

 
 
 
 
 
 46   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 30   Effect of reclassification upon adoption of IFRS 9 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 Reconciliation of consolidated balance sheet at 31 December 2017 and 1 January 2018 
                                                                                         IFRS 9 reclassification to 
                                                                                        Fair                                                         IFRS 9 
                                                            IAS 39                     value                                                 re-measurement 
                                                          carrying                   through      Fair value                                      including       IFRS 9 
                                                         amount at   Other changes    profit   through other                Carrying amount        expected     carrying 
                                                            31 Dec              in       and   comprehensive  Amo-rtised               post          credit    amount at 
                                                              2017  classification      loss          income        cost  reclassifi-cation       losses(2)   1 Jan 2018 
                          IAS 39                IFRS 9 
                          measurement     measure-ment 
               Footnotes  category            category      US$000          US$000    US$000          US$000      US$000             US$000          US$000       US$000 
               ---------                  ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------  -----------------  --------------   ---------- 
Assets 
               --------- 
Cash and 
 balances at 
 central                                     Amortised 
 banks                    Amortised cost          cost     671,440               -         -               -           -            671,440            (163)     671,277 
Items in the 
 course of 
 collection 
 from other                                  Amortised 
 banks                    Amortised cost          cost      64,419               -         -               -           -             64,419               -       64,419 
                                                        ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------                     -------------- 
Trading 
 assets                1            FVPL          FVPL     440,624            (203)        -               -           -            440,421               -      440,421 
                                                                                                                                             -------------- 
Financial 
 assets 
 designated 
 and 
 otherwise 
 mandatorily 
 measured at 
 fair value 
 through 
 profit 
 or loss               2            FVPL          FVPL           -               -    58,140               -           -             58,140               -       58,140 
                                                                    -------------- 
Derivatives                         FVPL          FVPL     963,102               -         -               -           -            963,102               -      963,102 
               --------- 
Loans and 
 advances to                                 Amortised 
 banks                    Amortised cost          cost   6,203,202               -         -               -           -          6,203,202            (826)   6,202,376 
Loans and 
 advances to                                 Amortised 
 customers                Amortised cost          cost  18,316,780               -         -               -           -         18,316,780         (78,142)  18,238,638 
               --------- 
Reverse 
 repurchase 
 agreements -                                Amortised 
 non-trading              Amortised cost          cost   1,387,254               -         -               -           -          1,387,254               -    1,387,254 
Financial                          FVOCI 
investments               (Available for 
                           sale - equity 
                     2,3    instruments)         FVOCI   6,746,504               -   (58,140)              -           -          6,688,364               -    6,688,364 
-------------  ---------  --------------  ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------  -----------------  --------------   ---------- 
Prepayments, 
 accrued 
 income and                                  Amortised 
 other assets          1  Amortised cost          cost     657,894             203         -               -           -            658,097            (509)     657,588 
                                          ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------                     -------------- 
Current tax 
 assets                              N/A           N/A       1,383               -         -               -           -              1,383               -        1,383 
-------------             --------------  ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------                     -------------- 
Interests in 
 associates 
 and joint 
 ventures                            N/A           N/A       1,948               -         -               -           -              1,948               -        1,948 
-------------             --------------  ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------                     -------------- 
Intangible 
 assets                              N/A           N/A      10,502               -         -               -           -             10,502               -       10,502 
-------------             --------------  ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------  -----------------  --------------   ---------- 
Deferred tax 
 assets                              N/A           N/A     205,857               -         -               -           -            205,857          10,683      216,540 
-------------  ---------  --------------  ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------  -----------------  --------------   ---------- 
Total assets                                            35,670,909               -         -               -           -         35,670,909         (68,957)  35,601,952 
-------------  ---------  --------------  ------------  ----------  --------------   -------   -------------  ----------  -----------------  --------------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
 Footnotes to Effect of reclassification upon adoption of IFRS 9 
 
 
 
1  Settlement accounts of US$0.2 million have been reclassified from 'Trading assets' to 'Prepayments, 
    accrued income and other assets' as a result of the assessment of business model in accordance 
    with IFRS 9. Settlement accounts previously presented as 'Trading liabilities' of US$1.7 million 
    have been represented in 'Accruals, deferred income and other liabilities'. This change in 
    presentation for financial liabilities is considered to provide more relevant information, 
    given the change in presentation for the financial assets. These changes in presentation for 
    financial assets and liabilities have had no effect on measurement of these items and therefore 
    on 'Retained earnings'. 
 
 
 
2  US$58.1 million of available for sale non-traded equity instruments have been reclassified 
    as 'Financial assets designated and otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value through profit 
    or loss' in accordance with IFRS 9. 
 
 
 
3  Measurement refers to that under IAS 39 and IFRS 9. Financial investments measured under fair 
    value through other comprehensive income were measured as available-for-sale instruments under 
    IAS 39. 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    47 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Reconciliation for consolidated balance sheet at 31 December 2017 and 1 January 2018 (continued) 
                                                                                        IFRS 9 reclassification to 
                                                                                       Fair                                                        IFRS 9 
                                                          IAS 39                      value                                                remeasure-ment 
                                                        carrying                    through      Fair value                                     including      IFRS 9 
                                                       amount at    Other changes    profit   through other               Carrying amount        expected    carrying 
                                                          31 Dec               in       and  compre-hensive  Amortised               post          credit   amount at 
                                                            2017  classif-ication      loss          income       cost  reclassi-fication       losses(2)  1 Jan 2018 
                                IAS 39        IFRS 9 
                          measure-ment  measure-ment 
               Footnotes      category      category      US$000           US$000    US$000          US$000     US$000             US$000          US$000      US$000 
               ---------  ------------  ------------  ----------  ---------------   -------  --------------  ---------  -----------------  --------------  ---------- 
Liabilities 
Deposits by                  Amortised     Amortised 
 banks                            cost          cost   1,798,474                -         -               -          -          1,798,474               -   1,798,474 
Customer                     Amortised     Amortised 
 accounts                         cost          cost  22,583,649                -         -               -          -         22,583,649               -  22,583,649 
Items in the 
 course of 
 transmission 
 to other                    Amortised     Amortised 
 banks                            cost          cost      87,502                -         -               -          -             87,502               -      87,502 
------------- 
Trading 
 liabilities         4,5          FVPL          FVPL   1,309,860       (1,269,543)        -               -          -             40,317               -      40,317 
Financial 
 liabilities 
 designated 
 at fair 
 value                 5          FVPL          FVPL     739,425        1,267,800         -               -          -          2,007,225               -   2,007,225 
Derivatives                       FVPL          FVPL     952,332                -         -               -          -            952,332               -     952,332 
Debt 
 securities                  Amortised     Amortised 
 in issue                         cost          cost   2,092,390                -         -               -          -          2,092,390               -   2,092,390 
               --------- 
Accruals, 
 deferred 
 income and 
 other                       Amortised     Amortised 
 liabilities           4          cost          cost   1,619,693            1,743         -               -          -          1,621,436               -   1,621,436 
-------------             ------------  ------------  ----------  ---------------   -------  --------------  ---------                     -------------- 
Current tax 
 liabilities                       N/A           N/A     110,141                -         -               -          -            110,141               -     110,141 
-------------  ---------  ------------  ------------  ----------  ---------------   -------  --------------  ---------                     -------------- 
Provisions                         N/A           N/A      71,608                -         -               -          -             71,608          36,418     108,026 
-------------  ---------  ------------  ------------  ----------  ---------------   -------  --------------  ---------  -----------------  --------------  ---------- 
Total 
 liabilities                                          31,365,074                -         -               -          -         31,365,074          36,418  31,401,492 
-------------  ---------  ------------  ------------  ----------  ---------------   -------  --------------  ---------  -----------------  --------------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
                                 IAS 39                                                IFRS 9 
                               carrying                                         remeasurement 
                              amount at                       Carrying amount       including      Carrying 
                                 31 Dec             IFRS 9               post        expected     amount at 
                                   2017   reclassification   reclassification   credit losses    1 Jan 2018 
                  Footnotes      US$000             US$000             US$000          US$000        US$000 
                  ---------               ----------------   ----------------   -------------   ----------- 
Equity 
Called up share 
 capital                        931,055                  -            931,055               -       931,055 
Share premium 
 account                         61,346                  -             61,346               -        61,346 
Other reserves            5    (132,153)           (14,000)          (146,153)          1,275      (144,878) 
                  --------- 
Retained 
 earnings                     3,441,349             14,000          3,455,349        (106,650)    3,348,699 
Total 
 Shareholders 
 Equity                       4,301,597                  -          4,301,597        (105,375)    4,196,222 
----------------  ---------  ----------   ----------------   ----------------   -------------   ----------- 
Non-controlling 
 interests                        4,238                  -              4,238               -         4,238 
----------------  ---------  ----------   ----------------   ----------------   -------------   ----------- 
Total equity                  4,305,835                  -          4,305,835        (105,375)    4,200,460 
----------------  ---------  ----------   ----------------   ----------------   -------------   ----------- 
 
 
 
 
 Footnotes to Effect of reclassification upon adoption of IFRS 9 
 
 
 
4  Settlement accounts of US$0.2 million have been reclassified from 'Trading assets' to 'Prepayments, 
    accrued income and other assets' as a result of the assessment of business model in accordance 
    with IFRS 9. Settlement accounts previously presented as 'Trading liabilities' of US$1.7 million 
    have been represented in 'Accruals, deferred income and other liabilities'. This change in 
    presentation for financial liabilities is considered to provide more relevant information, 
    given the change in presentation for the financial assets. These changes in presentation for 
    financial assets and liabilities have had no effect on measurement of these items and therefore 
    on 'Retained earnings'. 
 
 
 
5  We have considered market practices for the presentation of US$1,267.8 million of financial 
    liabilities which contain both deposit and derivative components. We have concluded that a 
    change in accounting policy and presentation from 'Trading liabilities' would be appropriate, 
    since it would better align with the presentation of similar financial instruments by peers 
    and therefore provide more relevant information about the effect of these financial liabilities 
    on our financial position and performance. As a result, rather than being classified as held 
    for trading, we will designate these financial liabilities as at fair value through profit 
    or loss since they are managed and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis. Consequently, 
    changes in fair value of these instruments attributable to changes in own credit risk are 
    recognised in other comprehensive income rather than profit or loss. For the year ended to 
    31 December 2017, a restatement would have decreased 'Net income from financial instruments 
    held for trading or managed on a fair value basis' by US$15.4 million, with an equivalent 
    net increase in other comprehensive income. 
 
 
 
6  While IFRS 9 ECL has no effect on the carrying value of FVOCI financial assets, which remain 
    measured at fair value, the FVOCI reserve ( formerly AFS reserve) relating to financial investments 
    reclassified to 'Financial assets designated and otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value 
    through profit or loss' in accordance with IFRS 9 has been transferred to retained earnings. 
 

7 IFRS 9 expected credit losses have decreased net assets by US$105.4 million principally comprising of US$78.1 million reduction in the carrying value of assets classified as 'Loans and advances to customers' and US$36.4 million increase in 'Provisions' relating to expected credit losses on loan commitments and financial guarantee contracts.

 
 
 
 
 
 48   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Reconciliation of impairment allowance under IAS 39 and provision under IAS 37 to expected 
  credit losses under IFRS 9 
                                                      Reclassification to           Remeasurement 
                                                  Fair 
                                                 value      Fair value                       Stage 
                                               through   through other                         1 & 
                                                profit   comprehensive  Amortised   Stage    Stage 
                                              and loss          income       cost       3        2      Total 
                          IAS 39 measurement 
                                    category    US$000          US$000     US$000  US$000   US$000     US$000 
                    ------------------------  --------   -------------  ---------  ------   ------  --------- 
Financial assets 
at amortised cost 
------------------ 
IAS 39 impairment allowance at 
 31 Dec 2017                                                                                        1,071,499 
------------------------------------------------------- 
Cash and balances   Amortised cost 
 at central banks    (Loans and receivables)          -              -          -       -      163        163 
------------------  ------------------------  ---------  -------------  ---------  ------   ------  --------- 
Loans and advances  Amortised cost 
 to banks            (Loans and receivables)          -              -          -       -      826        826 
------------------ 
Loans and advances  Amortised cost 
 to customers        (Loans and receivables)          -              -          -  67,646   10,496     78,142 
------------------ 
Prepayments, 
 accrued income     Amortised cost 
 and other assets    (Loans and receivables)          -              -          -       -      509        509 
------------------  ------------------------  ---------  -------------  ---------  ------   ------ 
Expected credit loss 
 allowance at 1 Jan 2018                                                                            1,151,139 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------------  ---------  -------  ------  --------- 
Financial assets 
at fair value 
through other 
comprehensive 
income 
------------------ 
IAS 39 impairment 
allowance at 
31 Dec 2017                                                                                                 - 
------------------ 
Debt instruments 
 at fair value 
 through other 
 comprehensive 
 income                                  N/A        N/A          1,275        N/A     N/A      N/A      1,275 
------------------  ------------------------  ---------  -------------  ---------  ------   ------  --------- 
Expected credit loss allowance 
 at 1 Jan 2018                                                                                          1,275 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------------  ---------  -------  ------  --------- 
Loan commitments 
and financial 
guarantee 
contracts 
------------------ 
IAS 37 provisions at 
 31 Dec 2017                                                                                           15,631 
------------------------------------------------------- 
Provisions (loan 
 commitments and 
 financial 
 guarantees)                             N/A        N/A            N/A        N/A  (4,748)  41,166     36,418 
------------------  ------------------------  ---------  -------------  ---------  ------   ------  --------- 
Expected credit loss 
 provision at 1 Jan 2018                                                                               52,049 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------------  ---------  -------  ------  --------- 
 
 
 
 
 31   Risk management 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

All the group's activities involve, to varying degrees, the analysis, evaluation, acceptance and active management of risks or combinations of risks. The key financial risks that the group is exposed to are credit risk (including cross-border country risk), market risk (predominantly foreign exchange and interest rate risks) and liquidity risk. The group is also exposed to operational risk in various forms (including technology, projects, process, people, security and fraud risks). The group continues to enhance its capabilities and coverage of financial crime control. Other risks that the group is actively managing include legal risk, reputational risk, pensions risk, strategic risk (direction and execution) and ensuring the group complies with various regulatory requirements or takes necessary actions where it is not yet doing so.

Risk governance and ownership

An established risk governance and ownership structure ensures oversight of, and accountability for, the effective management of risk at the group and global business level. The risk management framework fosters the continuous monitoring of the risk environment and an integrated evaluation of risks and their interactions. Integral to the group's risk management framework are the enterprise tools of Risk Appetite, Top and Emerging ('T&E') Risks, Risk Map and Stress Testing.

The Board approves the group's risk appetite framework, plans and performance targets for the group and its principal operating subsidiaries, the appointment of senior officers, the delegation of authorities for credit and other risks and the establishment of effective control procedures. The Audit and Risk Committees are responsible for advising the Board on material risk matters and providing non-executive oversight of risks. Under authority delegated by the Board, the separately convened Risk Management Meeting ('RMM') formulates high-level group risk management policy and oversees the implementation of risk appetite and controls. The RMM together with the Asset and Liability Committee ('ALCO') monitors all categories of risk, receives reports on actual performance and emerging issues, determines action to be taken and reviews the efficacy of the group's risk management framework.

In their oversight and stewardship of risk management at group level, RMM are supported by a dedicated Risk function headed by the Chief Risk Officer ('CRO'), who is a Chair of the RMM and reports to the Chief Executive Officer ('CEO') and functionally to the Europe CRO in the HSBC Group.

Risk management tools

The group uses a range of tools to identify, monitor and manage risk. The key tools are summarised below.

Risk appetite

Risk appetite, a key component of the group's risk management framework, is approved by the Board and describes the types and levels of risk that the group is prepared to accept in executing the group's strategy. The group's risk appetite is set out in the group's Risk Appetite Statement and is central to the annual planning process. Global businesses as well as countries are required to articulate their Risk Appetite Statements which are aligned with the group strategy.

Quantitative and qualitative metrics are organised under 15 categories, namely; returns, costs, capital, risk-weighted assets, liquidity and funding, loan impairments, exposure to the HSBC Group, credit and portfolio concentrations, market risk, operational risk, internal audit,

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    49 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

financial crime compliance, reputational risk, sustainability risk and technology infrastructure. Measurements against the metrics

serve to:

 
 
--  guide underlying business activity, ensuring it is aligned to risk appetite statements; 
 
 
 
--  determine risk-adjusted remuneration; 
 
 
 
--  enable the key underlying assumptions to be monitored and, where necessary, adjusted through 
     subsequent business planning cycles; and 
 
 
 
--  promptly identify business decisions needed to mitigate risk. 
 

Risk map

The group uses a risk map to provide a point-in-time view of its risk profile across a suite of risk categories. This highlights the potential for these risks to materially affect our financial results, reputation or business sustainability on current and projected bases.

The risks presented on the risk map are regularly assessed against risk appetite, are stress tested and, where longer-term thematic issues arise, are considered for inclusion as top or emerging risks.

Top and emerging risks

The group uses a top and emerging risks process to provide a forward-looking view of issues that have the potential to threaten the execution of the group's strategy or operations over the medium to long term.

The group defines a 'top risk' as a thematic issue that may form and crystallise in between six months and one year, and that has the potential to materially affect the group's financial results, reputation or business model. It may arise across any combination of risk types, regions or global businesses. The impact may be well understood by senior management and some mitigating actions may already be in place. Stress tests of varying granularity may also have been carried out to assess the impact.

An 'emerging risk' is a thematic issue with large unknown components that may form and crystallise beyond a one-year time horizon. If it were to materialise, it could have a material effect on the group's long-term strategy, profitability and reputation. Existing mitigation plans are likely to be minimal, reflecting the uncertain nature of these risks at this stage. Some high-level analysis and/or stress testing may have been carried out to assess the potential impact.

Stress testing

Stress testing is a critical component of the HSBC Group's strategic, risk and capital management governance as the regulatory expectations and demands in this area continue to expand significantly. It is an important tool used to evaluate the potential financial impact of plausible scenarios in the event of an economic downturn or a geopolitical duress. Apart from market-wide events entities also take into account risks that are idiosyncratic to the bank. The stress testing and scenario analysis programme examines the sensitivities of our capital plans and unplanned demand for regulatory capital under a number of scenarios and ensures that top and emerging risks are appropriately considered. These scenarios include, but are not limited to, adverse macroeconomic events, failures at country, sector and counterparty levels, geopolitical occurrences and a variety of projected major operational risk events. The group entities are included in the annual Group stress test submitted to the Bank of England.

In addition to the HSBC Group-wide risk scenarios, the group conducts regular macroeconomic and event-driven scenario analyses specific to the region. The group is subject to regulatory stress testing in many jurisdictions within the region. These have increased both in frequency and in the granularity of information required by supervisors. Assessment by regulators is on both quantitative and qualitative bases, the latter focusing on portfolio quality, data provision, stress testing capability, forward-looking capital management processes and internal management processes.

Apart from the aforementioned Enterprise Wide Stress Tests the group also undertakes Reverse Stress Testing, which is conducted to examine a set of potential scenarios that may render the groups's business model non-viable. Non-viability might occur before the group's capital is depleted, and could result from a variety of events, including idiosyncratic or systemic events or combinations thereof. Reverse stress testing is used to strengthen our resilience by helping to inform early-warning triggers, management actions and contingency plans designed to mitigate the potential stresses and vulnerabilities which we might face.

The results of aforementioned stress tests feed into the regional recovery plan and forms a part of the group's Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process ('ICAAP') submission to the regulator.

Risk culture

The group's strong risk governance reflects the importance placed by the Board on managing risks effectively. It is supported by a clear policy framework of risk ownership and by the accountability of all staff for identifying, assessing and managing risks within the scope of their assigned responsibilities. This personal accountability, reinforced by the governance structure, experience and mandatory learning, helps to foster a disciplined and constructive culture of risk management and control throughout the group. Personal accountability is also reinforced by the group's values, with staff expected to be:

 
 
--  dependable, doing the right thing; 
 
 
 
--  open to different ideas and culture; and 
 
 
 
--  connected to our customers, regulators and each other. 
 

Credit risk

Credit risk management

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss if a customer or counterparty fails to meet an obligation under a contract. It arises principally from direct lending, trade finance and leasing business, but also from other products such as guarantees and credit derivatives, and from the group's holdings of debt and other securities. Credit risk generates the largest regulatory capital requirement of the risks the group incurs.

HSBC Holdings plc is responsible for the formulation of high-level credit risk policies and provides high-level centralised oversight and management of credit risk for the HSBC Group worldwide. In addition its responsibilities include:

 
 
--  Controlling exposures to sovereign entities, banks and other financial institutions, as well 
     as debt securities that are not held solely for the purpose of trading. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 50   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
--  Monitoring intra-HSBC Group exposures to ensure they are maintained within regulatory limits. 
 
 
 
--  Controlling cross-border exposures, through the imposition of country limits with sub-limits 
     by maturity and type of business. Country limits are determined by taking into account economic 
     and political factors, and applying local business knowledge. Transactions with countries 
     deemed to be higher risk are considered case by case. 
 

Within the group, the Credit Risk function is headed by the CRO. Its responsibilities include:

 
 
--  Formulating and recording detailed credit policies and procedures, consistent with HSBC Group 
     policy. 
 
 
 
--  Issuing policy guidelines to subsidiaries and offices on appetite for credit risk exposure 
     to specified market sectors, activities and banking products, and controlling exposures to 
     certain high-risk sectors. 
 
 
 
--  Undertaking independent review and objective assessment of risk. Credit Risk assesses all 
     commercial non-bank credit facilities and exposures over designated limits, prior to the facilities 
     being committed to customers or transactions being undertaken. 
 
 
 
--  Monitoring the performance and management of portfolios. 
 
 
 
--  Maintaining policy on large credit exposures, ensuring that concentrations of exposure by 
     counterparty, sector or geography do not become excessive in relation to the group's capital 
     base and remain within internal and regulatory limits. 
 
 
 
--  Maintaining and developing the governance and operation of HSBC Group's risk rating framework 
     and systems, to classify exposures. 
 
 
 
--  Reporting on retail portfolio performance, high risk portfolios, risk concentrations, country 
     limits and cross-border exposures, large impaired accounts, impairment allowances and stress 
     testing results and recommendations to the RMM, the Audit and Risk Committee and the Board 
     of Directors. 
 
 
 
--  Acting on behalf of the group as the primary interface, for credit-related issues, with external 
     parties, including the rating agencies, corporate analysts, trade associations etc. 
 

The group is required to implement credit policies, procedures and lending guidelines that meet local requirements while conforming to the HSBC Group standards.

Adoption of IFRS9 'Financial Instruments'

The implementation of IFRS 9, did not result in any significant change to the group's business model. This included our strategy, country presence, product offerings and target customer segments. We have established credit risk management processes in place and we actively assess the impact of economic developments in key markets on specific customers, customer segments or portfolios. If we foresee changes in credit conditions, we take mitigating action, including the revision of risk appetites or limits and tenors, as appropriate. In addition, we continue to evaluate the terms under which we provide credit facilities within the context of individual customer requirements, the quality of the relationship, local regulatory requirements, market practices and our local market position.

As a result of IFRS 9 adoption, management has additional insight and measures not previously utilised which, over time, may influence our risk appetite and risk management processes

IFRS 9 process

The IFRS 9 process comprises three main areas: modelling and data, implementation and governance.

Modelling

Prior to the implementation of IFRS 9 the risk function had pre-existing Basel and behavioural scorecards.

These were then enhanced or supplemented to address the IFRS9 requirements, with the appropriate governance and independent review.

Implementation

A centralised impairment engine has been implemented to perform the ECL calculation in a globally consistent manner.

Governance

A series of Regional Management Review Forums has been established in key sites/regions in order to review and approve the impairment results. Regional Management Review Forums have representatives from Credit Risk and Finance including the regional Heads of Wholesale Credit and Market Risk and Retail Banking and Wealth Management ('RBWM') Risk, the regional business CFOs, the regional CROs and the regional Chief Accounting Officer are required members of the committee.

Credit quality of financial instruments

The group's credit risk rating systems and processes differentiate exposures in order to highlight those with greater risk factors and higher potential severity of loss. In the case of individually significant accounts, risk ratings are reviewed regularly and any amendments are implemented promptly. Within the group's retail business, risk is assessed and managed using a wide range of risk and pricing models to generate portfolio data.

The group's risk rating system facilitates the Internal Ratings Based ('IRB') approach for portfolio management purposes. The system adopted by the HSBC Group to support calculation under Basel II of the minimum credit regulatory capital requirement for banks, sovereigns and certain larger corporates.

Special attention is paid to problem exposures in order to accelerate remedial action. Where appropriate, the group uses specialist units to provide customers with support in order to help them avoid default wherever possible.

Periodic risk-based audits of the group's credit processes and portfolios are also undertaken by an independent function.

Impairment Assessment

It is the group's policy that each operating company creates allowances for impaired loans promptly and consistently.

For details of impairment policies on loans and advances and financial investments, see Note 2.2(i) on the Financial Statements.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    51 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Write-off of loans and advances

Loans are normally written off, either partially or in full, when there is no realistic prospect of further recovery. For secured loans, write-off generally occurs after receipt of any proceeds from the realisation of security.

Unsecured personal facilities, including credit cards, are generally written off at between 150 and 210 days past due, the standard period being the end of the month in which the account becomes 180 days contractually delinquent. Write-off periods may be extended, generally to no more than 360 days past due but in very exceptional circumstances exceeding that figure, in a few countries where local regulation or legislation constrain earlier write-off, or where the realisation of collateral for secured real estate lending extends to this time.

In the event of bankruptcy or analogous proceedings, write-off may occur earlier than at the periods stated above. Collections procedures may continue after write-off.

Refinance risk

Many types of lending require the repayment of a significant proportion of the principal at maturity. Typically, the mechanism of repayment for the customer is through the acquisition of a new loan to settle the existing debt. Refinance risk arises where a customer is unable to repay such term debt on maturity, or to refinance debt at commercial rates. When there is evidence that this risk may apply to a specific contract, the group may need to refinance the loan on concessionary terms that it would not otherwise have considered, in order to recoup the maximum possible cash flows from the contract and potentially avoid the customer defaulting on the repayment of principal. When there is sufficient evidence that borrowers, based on their current financial capabilities, may fail at maturity to repay or refinance their loans, these loans are disclosed as impaired with recognition of a corresponding impairment allowance where appropriate.

Summary of credit risk

The disclosure below presents the gross carrying/nominal amount of financial instruments to which the impairment requirements in IFRS 9 are applied and the associated allowance for ECL. Due to the forward-looking nature of IFRS 9, the scope of financial instruments on which ECL are recognised is greater than the scope of IAS 39.

The IFRS 9 allowance for ECL has decreased from US$ 1,203 million at 1 January 2018 to US$ 1,094 at 31 December 2018.

The IFRS 9 allowance for ECL at 31 December 2018 comprises US$ 1,061 million in respect of assets held at amortised cost, US$ 33 million in respect of loan commitments and financial guarantees.

 
 
 
 Summary of financial instruments to which the impairment requirements in IFRS 9 are applied 
 
                                      31 Dec 2018                                  At 1 Jan 2018 
                                                                   --------------------------------------------- 
                                     Gross                                        Gross 
                          carrying/nominal         Allowance for       carrying/nominal 
                                    amount                   ECL                 amount     Allowance for ECL 
                                    US$000                US$000                 US$000                US$000 
                                                                   --------------------  -------------------- 
Loans and advances to 
 customers at 
 amortised cost                 21,132,610            (1,059,235)            19,388,279            (1,149,641) 
                       -------------------  -------------------- 
Loans and advances to 
 banks at amortised 
 cost                            5,058,866                (1,558)             6,203,202                  (826) 
                       -------------------  --------------------   --------------------  -------------------- 
Other financial 
 assets measured at 
 amortised costs                 2,784,969                  (632)             2,703,479                  (672) 
                       -------------------  -------------------- 
- cash and balances 
 at central banks                1,170,499                  (140)               671,440                  (163) 
- items in the course 
 of collection from 
 other banks                        81,984                     -                 64,419                     - 
--------------------- 
- reverse repurchase 
 agreements - non - 
 trading                           755,084                    (8)             1,387,254                     - 
- prepayments, 
 accrued income and 
 other assets                      777,402                  (484)               580,366                  (509) 
                       -------------------  -------------------- 
Total gross carrying 
 amount on-balance 
 sheet                          28,976,445            (1,061,425)            28,294,960            (1,151,139) 
---------------------  -------------------  --------------------   --------------------  -------------------- 
Loans and other 
 credit related 
 commitments                     5,648,633                (2,736)             6,970,326                (5,452) 
---------------------  -------------------  --------------------   --------------------  -------------------- 
Financial guarantee 
 and similar 
 contracts                      14,416,716               (30,302)            14,361,374               (46,597) 
---------------------  -------------------                         --------------------  -------------------- 
Total nominal amount 
 off-balance sheet              20,065,349               (33,038)            21,331,700               (52,049) 
---------------------  -------------------  --------------------   --------------------  -------------------- 
 
 
                                                                                         Memorandum allowance 
                                            Memorandum allowance                                          for 
                                Fair value               for ECL             Fair value                   ECL 
                                    US$000                US$000                 US$000                US$000 
                       -------------------  --------------------   --------------------  -------------------- 
Debt instruments 
 measured at fair 
 value through other 
 comprehensive income 
 (FVOCI)                         5,695,573                (1,112)             6,628,270                (1,275) 
---------------------  -------------------  --------------------   --------------------  -------------------- 
 

The following table provides an overview of the group's credit risk by stage, and the associated ECL coverage. The financial assets recorded in each stage have the following characteristics:

Stage 1: Unimpaired and without significant increase in credit risk on which a 12-month allowance for ECL is recognised.

Stage 2: A significant increase in credit risk has been experienced since initial recognition on which a lifetime ECL is recognised.

Stage 3: Objective evidence of impairment, and are therefore considered to be in default or otherwise credit-impaired on which a lifetime ECL is recognised.

POCI: Purchased or originated at a deep discount that reflects the incurred credit losses on which a lifetime ECL is recognised.

 
 
 
 
 
 52   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Summary of credit risk (excluding debt instruments measured at FVOCI) by stage distribution 
  and ECL coverage at 31 December 2018 
 
                      Gross carrying/nominal amount                               Allowance for ECL 
                 ----------------------------------------  ----------  ----------------------------------------  ------------- 
                    Stage 1    Stage 2    Stage 3    POCI       Total  Stage 1    Stage 2    Stage 3      POCI        Total 
                     US$000     US$000     US$000  US$000      US$000   US$000     US$000     US$000    US$000       US$000 
                             ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 customers at 
 amortised 
 cost:           17,617,241  2,177,358  1,301,233  36,778  21,132,610  (65,826)   (91,814)  (864,817)  (36,778)  (1,059,235) 
                                                                                                                 ---------- 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 banks at 
 amortised cost   5,048,916      9,950          -       -   5,058,866   (1,412)      (146)         -         -       (1,558) 
                                                                                                                 ---------- 
Other financial 
 assets 
 measured at 
 amortised cost   2,687,842     97,127          -       -   2,784,969     (339)      (293)         -         -         (632) 
                                                                                                                 ---------- 
Loan and other 
 credit-related 
 commitments      5,351,317    296,712        604       -   5,648,633   (1,912)      (824)         -         -       (2,736) 
                 ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
Financial 
 guarantee and 
 similar 
 contracts:      11,818,716  2,494,000    104,000       -  14,416,716   (7,426)   (17,159)    (5,717)        -      (30,302) 
---------------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
At 31 Dec 2018   42,524,032  5,075,147  1,405,837  36,778  49,041,794  (76,915)  (110,236)  (870,534)  (36,778)  (1,094,463) 
---------------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
 (Audited) 
                                                              ECL coverage % 
                                                     --------------------------------  ----- 
                                                     Stage 1  Stage 2  Stage 3   POCI  Total 
                                                           %        %        %      %      % 
Loans and advances to customers at amortised cost:       0.4      4.2     66.5  100.0    5.0 
                                                     -------  -------  -------  -----  ----- 
Loans and advances to banks at amortised cost              -      1.5        -      -      - 
                                                     -------  -------  -------  -----  ----- 
Other financial assets measured at amortised cost          -      0.3        -      -      - 
                                                     -------  -------  -------  -----  ----- 
Loan and other credit-related commitments                  -      0.3        -      -    0.1 
                                                     -------  -------  -------  -----  ----- 
Financial guarantee and similar contracts:               0.1      0.7      5.5      -    0.2 
---------------------------------------------------  -------  -------  -------  -----  ----- 
At 31 Dec 2018                                           0.2      2.2     61.9  100.0    2.2 
---------------------------------------------------  -------  -------  -------  -----  ----- 
 
 
 
 
 Summary of credit risk (excluding debt instruments measured at FVOCI) by stage distribution 
  and ECL coverage at 1 January 2018 
                    Gross carrying/nominal amount                               Allowance for ECL 
               ----------------------------------------  ----------  ----------------------------------------  ------------- 
                  Stage 1    Stage 2    Stage 3    POCI       Total  Stage 1    Stage 2    Stage 3      POCI        Total 
                   US$000     US$000     US$000  US$000      US$000   US$000     US$000     US$000    US$000       US$000 
               ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 customers at 
 amortised 
 cost          15,001,751  2,983,784  1,365,966  36,778  19,388,279  (65,056)  (109,232)  (938,575)  (36,778)  (1,149,641) 
-------------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 banks at 
 amortised 
 cost           6,200,649      2,553          -       -   6,203,202     (818)        (8)         -         -         (826) 
-------------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
Other 
 financial 
 assets 
 measured at 
 amortised 
 cost           2,567,026    132,005      4,448       -   2,703,479     (424)      (248)         -         -         (672) 
                                                         ---------- 
Loan and 
 other credit 
 related 
 commitments    6,719,565    248,974      1,787       -   6,970,326   (1,148)    (4,304)         -         -       (5,452) 
-------------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
Financial 
 guarantee 
 and similar 
 contracts     11,680,515  2,514,603    166,256       -  14,361,374  (14,853)   (20,188)   (11,556)        -      (46,597) 
-------------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
At 1 Jan 2018  42,169,506  5,881,919  1,538,457  36,778  49,626,660  (82,299)  (133,980)  (950,131)  (36,778)  (1,203,188) 
-------------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  -------   --------   --------   -------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                             ECL coverage % 
                                                    -------------------------------- 
                                                    Stage 1  Stage 2  Stage 3   POCI  Total 
                                                          %        %        %      %      % 
Loans and advances to customers at amortised cost       0.4      3.7     68.7  100.0    5.9 
-------------------------------------------------- 
Loans and advances to banks at amortised cost           0.0      0.3      0.0    0.0    0.0 
-------------------------------------------------- 
Other financial assets measured at amortised cost       0.0      0.2      0.0    0.0    0.0 
-------------------------------------------------- 
Loan and other credit related commitments               0.0      1.7      0.0    0.0    0.1 
-------------------------------------------------- 
Financial guarantee and similar contracts               0.1      0.8      7.0    0.0    0.3 
-------------------------------------------------- 
At 1 Jan 2018                                           0.2      2.3     61.8  100.0    2.4 
--------------------------------------------------  -------  -------  -------  -----  ----- 
 

Measurement uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of ECL estimates

Expected credit loss impairment allowances recognised in the financial statements reflect the effect of a range of possible economic outcomes, calculated on a probability-weighted basis, based on the economic scenarios described below. The recognition and measurement of ECL involves the use of significant judgement and estimation. It is necessary to formulate multiple forward-looking economic forecasts and incorporate them into the ECL estimates. The group uses a standard framework to form economic scenarios to reflect assumptions about future economic conditions, supplemented with the use of management judgement, which may result in using alternative or additional economic scenarios and/or management adjustments.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    53 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Methodology for Developing Forward Looking Economic Scenarios

The group has adopted the use of three scenarios, representative of our view of forecast economic conditions, sufficient to calculate unbiased expected loss in most economic environments. They represent a 'most likely outcome' (the Central scenario), and two, less likely 'outer' scenarios, referred to as the Upside and Downside scenarios. Each outer scenario is consistent with a probability of 10%, while the Central scenario is assigned the remaining 80%, according to the decision of the group's senior management. This weighting scheme is deemed appropriate for the unbiased estimation of ECL in most circumstances. Key scenario assumptions are set using the average of forecasts of external economists, helping to ensure that the IFRS 9 scenarios are unbiased and maximise the use of independent information. The Central, Upside and Downside scenarios selected with reference to external forecast distributions using the above approach are termed the 'consensus economic scenarios'.

For the Central scenario, the group sets key assumptions such as GDP growth, inflation, unemployment and policy interest rates, using either the average of external forecasts (commonly referred to as consensus forecasts) for most economies, or market prices. An external provider's global macro model, conditioned to follow the consensus forecasts, projects the other paths required as inputs to credit models. This external provider is subject to the group's risk governance framework, with oversight by a specialist internal unit.

The Upside and Downside scenarios are designed to be cyclical, in that GDP growth, inflation and unemployment usually revert back to the Central scenario after the first three years for major economies. We determine the maximum divergence of GDP growth from the Central scenario using the 10th and the 90th percentile of the entire distribution of forecast outcomes for major economies. We use externally available forecast distributions to help ensure independence in scenario construction. While key economic variables are set with reference to external distributional forecasts, we also align the overall narrative of the scenarios to the macroeconomic risks captured in the group's Top and Emerging Risks. This ensures that scenarios remain consistent with the more qualitative assessment of these risks. We project additional variable paths using the external provider's global macro model.

We apply the following steps to generate the three economic scenarios:

 
 
--       Economic risk assessment: We develop a shortlist of the upside and downside economic and political 
          risks most relevant to the group and the IFRS 9 measurement objective. These include local 
          and global economic and political risks which together affect economies that have a material 
          effect on credit risk for the group. 
 
 
 
--       Scenario generation: For the Central scenario, we obtain a pre-defined set of economic paths 
          from the average taken from the consensus survey of professional forecasters. Paths for the 
          two outer scenarios are benchmarked to the Central scenario and reflect the economic risk 
          assessment. We select scenarios that in management's judgement are representative of the probability 
          weighting scheme, informed by the current economic outlook, data analysis of past recessions, 
          and transitions in and out of recession. 
 
 
 
--       Variable enrichment: We expand each scenario through enrichment of variables. The external 
          provider expands these scenarios by using as inputs the agreed scenario narratives and the 
          variables aligned to these narratives. Scenarios, once expanded, continue to be benchmarked 
          to latest events and information. 
 

Description of Consensus Economic Scenarios

The following table describes key macroeconomic variables and the probabilities assigned in the each scenario.

 
 
 
                                               UAE 
                                ---------------------------------- 
                                  Scenario Average (2019 - 2023) 
                                ---------------------------------- 
Factors                          Upside     Central     Downside 
GDP growth rate (%)                   3.9         3.4          2.9 
Inflation (%)                         2.9         2.5          2.2 
Unemployment (%)                      1.7         2.1          2.5 
Short term interest rates (%)         3.3         3.2          1.2 
House price growth (%)                4.4         3.0          1.4 
------------------------------  ---------  ----------  ----------- 
 

The Consensus Central Scenario

The group's central scenario is one of moderate growth over the forecast period 2019-2023. The group notes that:

 
 
--  Expected average rates of GDP growth over the 2019-2023 period are lower than average growth 
     rates achieved over the 2013-2017 period for the UAE. 
 
 
 
--  The average unemployment rate over the projection horizon is expected to remain at or below 
     the averages observed in the 2013-2017 period. 
 
 
 
--  Inflation is expected to be stable despite steady GDP growth. 
 
 
 
--  Major central banks are expected to gradually raise their main policy interest rate. 
 
 
 
--  The West Texas Intermediate oil price is forecast to average US$63p/b over the projection 
     period. 
 

The Consensus Upside scenario

The economic forecast distribution of risks (as captured by consensus probability distributions of GDP growth) have shown a decrease over the course of 2018. Globally, real GDP growth rises in the first two years of the Upside scenario before converging to the Central scenario. Increased confidence, stronger oil prices as well as calming of geopolitical tensions are the risk themes that support the 2018 year-end upside scenario.

The Consensus Downside scenario

The distribution of risks (as captured by consensus probability distributions of GDP growth) have shown a marginal increase in downside risks over the course of 2018. Globally, real GDP growth declines for two years in the Downside scenario before recovering to the Central scenario. The global slowdown in demand drives commodity prices lower and results in an accompanying fall in inflation. Central Banks remain accommodative.

How economic scenarios are reflected in the wholesale calculation of ECL

HSBC has developed a globally consistent methodology for the application of economic scenarios into the calculation of ECL by incorporating those scenarios into the estimation of the term structure of probability of default ('PD') and loss given default ('LGD'). For

 
 
 
 
 
 54   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

PDs, we consider the correlation of economic guidance to default rates for a particular industry in a country. For LGD calculations we consider the correlation of economic guidance to collateral values and realisation rates for a particular country and industry. PDs and LGDs are estimated for the entire term structure of each instrument.

For impaired loans, LGD estimates take into account independent recovery valuations provided by external consultants where available, or internal forecasts corresponding to anticipated economic conditions and individual company conditions. In estimating the ECL on impaired loans that are individually considered not to be significant, HSBC incorporates economic scenarios proportionate to the probability-weighted outcome and the central scenario outcome for non-stage 3 populations.

 
 
 
 ECL based exposures at 31 December 2018(1) 
                                             UAE 
                                          ------ 
Reported ECL (US$m)                           74 
----------------------------------------  ------ 
Gross carrying/nominal amount (US$m)(2)   37,546 
----------------------------------------  ------ 
Reported ECL Coverage (per cent)             0.20% 
---------------------------------------- 
Consensus Upside scenario                    0.18% 
---------------------------------------- 
Consensus Downside scenario                  0.21% 
---------------------------------------- 
Consensus Central scenario                   0.20% 
----------------------------------------  -------- 
 
(1)    Excludes ECL and financial instruments relating to defaulted obligors (2)    Includes off-balance sheet financial instruments that are subject to significant measurement uncertainty 

How economic scenarios are reflected in the retail calculation of ECL

HSBC has developed and implemented a globally consistent methodology for incorporating forecasts of economic conditions into ECL estimates. The impact of economic scenarios on PD is modelled at a portfolio level. Historic relationships between observed default rates and macro-economic variables are integrated into ('IFRS 9 ECL') estimates by leveraging economic response models. The impact of these scenarios on PD is modelled over a period equal to the remaining maturity of underlying asset or assets. The impact on (LGD) is modelled for mortgage portfolios by forecasting future loan-to-value ('LTV') profiles for the remaining maturity of the asset by leveraging national level forecasts of the house price index ('HPI') and applying the corresponding LGD expectation.

 
 
 
 ECL based exposures at 31 December 2018 
                                        UAE 
------------------------------------  ----- 
Reported ECL (US$m)                     204 
------------------------------------  ----- 
Gross carrying amount (US$m)          3,453 
------------------------------------  ----- 
Reported ECL Coverage                 5.90% 
------------------------------------ 
Consensus Upside scenario               5.70% 
------------------------------------ 
Consensus Downside scenario             6.10% 
------------------------------------ 
Consensus Central scenario              5.90% 
------------------------------------  ------- 
 

Economic scenarios sensitivity analysis of ECL estimates

The ECL outcome is sensitive to judgement and estimations made with regards to the formulation and incorporation of multiple forward looking economic conditions described above. As a result, management assessed and considered the sensitivity of the ECL outcome against the forward looking economic conditions as part of the ECL governance process by recalculating the ECL under each scenario described above for selected portfolios, applying a 100% weighting to each scenario in turn. The weighting is reflected in both the determination of significant increase in credit risk as well as the measurement of the resulting ECL.

The economic scenarios are generated to capture the group's view of a range of possible forecast economic conditions that is sufficient for the calculation of unbiased and probability-weighted ECL. As a result, the ECL calculated for the Upside and Downside scenarios should not be taken to represent the upper and lower limits of possible actual ECL outcomes. There are a very wide range of possible combinations of inter-related economic factors that could influence actual credit loss outcomes, accordingly the range of estimates provided by attributing 100% weightings to scenarios are indicative of possible outcomes given the assumptions used. A wider range of possible ECL outcomes reflects uncertainty about the distribution of economic conditions and does not necessarily mean that credit risk on the associated loans is higher than for loans where the distribution of possible future economic conditions is narrower. The recalculated ECLs for each of the scenarios should be read in the context of the sensitivity analysis as a whole and in conjunction with the narrative disclosures.

Credit exposure

Maximum exposure to credit risk

The group's exposure to credit risk is spread across a broad range of asset classes, including derivatives, trading assets, loans and advances to customers, loans and advances to banks, and financial investments.

The following table presents the group's maximum exposure to credit risk from balance sheet and off-balance sheet financial instruments before taking account of any collateral held or other credit enhancements (unless such enhancements meet accounting offsetting requirements). For financial assets recognised on the balance sheet, the maximum exposure to credit risk equals their carrying amount; for financial guarantees and similar contracts granted, it is the maximum amount that we would have to pay if the guarantees were called upon. For loan commitments and other credit-related commitments, it is generally the full amount of the committed facilities.

The offset in the table relate to amounts where there is a legally enforceable right of offset in the event of counterparty default and where, as a result, there is a net exposure for credit risk purposes. However, as there is no intention to settle these balances on a net basis under normal circumstances, they do not qualify for net presentation for accounting purposes.

In the case of derivatives and reverse repos the offset column also includes collateral received in cash and other financial assets.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    55 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Maximum exposure to credit risk 
                                                    2018                                2017 
                                      ---------------------------------  ----------------------------------- 
                                         Maximum                            Maximum 
                                        exposure    Offset          Net    exposure    Offset          Net 
                                          US$000    US$000       US$000      US$000    US$000       US$000 
Derivatives                              953,222         -      953,222     963,102         -      963,102 
                                      ----------  --------   ---------- 
Loans and advances to customers held 
 at amortised cost                    20,073,375  (161,515)  19,911,860  18,316,780  (101,437)  18,215,343 
                                      ----------  --------   ----------  ----------  --------   ---------- 
Loans and advances to banks held at 
 amortised cost                        5,057,308         -    5,057,308   6,203,202         -    6,203,202 
Reverse repurchase agreements - 
 non-trading                             755,076         -      755,076   1,387,254         -    1,387,254 
                                      ----------  --------   ---------- 
Total off-balance sheet               22,275,974         -   22,275,974  23,747,771             23,747,771 
------------------------------------  ----------  --------   ----------  ----------  ---------  ---------- 
- financial guarantees and similar 
 contracts                             6,369,554         -    6,369,554   6,816,340         -    6,816,340 
- loan and other credit-related 
 commitments                          15,906,420         -   15,906,420  16,931,431         -   16,931,431 
------------------------------------  ----------  --------   ----------  ----------  --------   ---------- 
 

Reconciliation of changes in gross carrying/nominal amount and allowances for loans and advances to banks and customers including loan commitments and financial guarantees

The following disclosure provides a reconciliation of the group's gross carrying/nominal amount and allowances for loans and advances to banks and customers including loan commitments and financial guarantees.

The transfers of financial instruments represents the impact of stage transfers upon the gross carrying/nominal amount and associated allowance for ECL. The net remeasurement of ECL arising from stage transfers represents the increase in ECL due to these transfers. [Net new and further lending / (repayments) comprises new originations, assets derecognised, further lending and repayments].

 
 
 
 Reconciliation of changes in gross carrying/nominal amount and allowances for loans and advances 
  to banks and customers including 
  loan commitments and financial guarantees 
 
                                 Non-credit impaired                                Credit impaired 
                   ------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
                           Stage 1                  Stage 2                 Stage 3                  POCI                     Total 
                   -----------------------  -----------------------  ----------------------  ---------------------  -------------------------- 
                        Gross                    Gross                   Gross                   Gross                   Gross 
                    carrying/                carrying/               carrying/               carrying/               carrying/ 
                      nominal   Allowance      nominal   Allowance     nominal   Allowance     nominal  Allowance      nominal    Allowance 
                       amount     for ECL       amount     for ECL      amount     for ECL      amount    for ECL       amount      for ECL 
                       US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000     US$000       US$000       US$000 
                                ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
At 1 Jan 2018      39,602,480     (81,875)   5,749,914    (133,732)  1,534,009    (950,131)     36,778    (36,778)  46,923,181   (1,202,516) 
-----------------  ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
Transfers of 
 financial 
 instruments:       1,652,446     (34,074)  (1,897,719)    105,491     245,273     (71,417)          -          -            -            - 
-----------------                                                                                                   ----------   ---------- 
- Transfers from 
 Stage 1 to Stage 
 2                 (5,754,180)     16,000    5,754,180     (16,000)          -           -           -          -            -            - 
----------------- 
- Transfers from 
 Stage 2 to Stage 
 1                  7,408,735     (50,080)  (7,408,735)     50,080           -           -           -          -            -            - 
----------------- 
- Transfers to 
 Stage 3               (2,117)          6     (288,543)     78,705     290,660     (78,711)          -          -            -            - 
- Transfers from 
 Stage 3                    8           -       45,379      (7,294)    (45,387)      7,294           -          -            -            - 
                   ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
Net remeasurement 
 of ECL arising 
 from transfer of 
 stage                      -      27,275            -     (25,872)          -     (23,980)          -          -            -      (22,577) 
-----------------               ---------   ----------                                                              ----------   ---------- 
Net new and 
 further lending 
 / (repayments)    (1,395,244)     11,989    1,119,102     (57,327)   (118,469)    (77,429)          -          -     (394,611)    (122,767) 
-----------------  ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
Assets written 
 off                        -           -            -           -    (254,309)    254,309           -          -     (254,309)     254,309 
                                                                                                                    ----------   ---------- 
Foreign exchange 
 and others           (23,294)         30        6,723          39        (446)          -           -          -      (17,017)          69 
-----------------                                                                                                   ----------   ---------- 
Others                   (198)         79            -       1,458        (221)     (1,886)          -          -         (419)        (349) 
                                                                                                                    ----------   ---------- 
At 31 Dec 2018     39,836,190     (76,576)   4,978,020    (109,943)  1,405,837    (870,534)     36,778    (36,778)  46,256,825   (1,093,831) 
----------------- 
ECL 
 release/(charge) 
 for the period             -      39,264            -     (83,199)          -    (101,409)          -          -            -     (145,344) 
                   ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
Recoveries                  -           -            -           -           -      22,246           -          -            -       22,246 
                   ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
Others                      -      23,347            -     (27,052)          -      (1,020)          -          -            -       (4,725) 
                   ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
Total ECL Charge 
 for the period             -      62,611            -    (110,251)          -     (80,183)          -          -            -     (127,823) 
-----------------  ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                            Twelve months ended 
                                                          At 31 Dec 2018                            31 Dec 2018 
                                         ------------------------------------------------- 
                                         Gross carrying/nominal amount  Allowance for ECL            ECL charge 
                                         -----------------------------  -----------------   ------------------- 
                                                                US$000             US$000                US$000 
                                         -----------------------------  -----------------   ------------------- 
As above                                                    46,256,825         (1,093,831)             (127,823) 
---------------------------------------  -----------------------------  -----------------   ------------------- 
Other financial assets measured at 
 amortised cost                                              2,029,885               (624)                   48 
                                         -----------------------------  ----------------- 
Non-trading reverse purchase agreement 
 commitments                                                   755,084                 (8)                   (8) 
---------------------------------------  -----------------------------  -----------------   ------------------- 
Summary of financial instruments to 
 which the impairment requirements in 
 IFRS 9 are applied/ 
 Summary consolidated income statement                      49,041,794         (1,094,463)             (127,783) 
---------------------------------------  -----------------------------  -----------------   ------------------- 
Debt instruments measured at FVOCI                           5,695,573             (1,112)                  163 
---------------------------------------  -----------------------------  -----------------   ------------------- 
Total allowance for ECL/total income 
 statement ECL charge for the period                               N/A         (1,095,575)             (127,620) 
---------------------------------------  -----------------------------  -----------------   ------------------- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 56   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Wholesale lending - Reconciliation of changes in gross carrying/nominal amount and allowances 
  for loans and advances to banks and 
  customers including loan commitments and financial guarantees 
 
                                 Non-credit impaired                                Credit impaired 
                   ------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
                           Stage 1                  Stage 2                 Stage 3                  POCI                     Total 
                   -----------------------  -----------------------  ----------------------  ---------------------  ------------------------- 
                        Gross                    Gross                   Gross                   Gross                   Gross 
                    carrying/                carrying/               carrying/               carrying/               carrying/ 
                      nominal   Allowance      nominal   Allowance     nominal   Allowance     nominal  Allowance      nominal   Allowance 
                       amount     for ECL       amount     for ECL      amount     for ECL      amount    for ECL       amount     for ECL 
                       US$000      US$000       US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000     US$000       US$000      US$000 
                   ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   --------- 
At 1 Jan 2018      33,671,127     (52,701)   5,540,702     (80,375)  1,268,624    (787,766)     36,778    (36,778)  40,517,231    (957,620) 
-----------------  ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   --------- 
Transfers of 
 financial 
 instruments:       1,775,266     (29,748)  (1,914,417)     51,642     139,151     (21,894)          -          -            -           - 
-----------------  ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   --------- 
Net remeasurement 
 of ECL arising 
 from transfer of 
 stage                      -      23,334            -     (20,211)          -     (23,816)          -          -            -     (20,693) 
                                                                                                                    ----------   --------- 
Net new and 
 further lending 
 / (repayments)    (1,084,551)     13,548    1,136,339     (19,103)   (100,794)    (36,661)          -          -      (49,006)    (42,216) 
-----------------  ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   --------- 
Assets written 
 off                        -           -            -           -    (152,391)    152,391           -          -     (152,391)    152,391 
                                                                                                                    ----------   --------- 
Foreign exchange 
 and others           (24,759)         34        6,691          47        (186)         33           -          -      (18,254)        114 
-----------------                                                                                                   ----------   --------- 
Others                   (198)         81            -       1,460        (379)       (197)          -          -         (577)      1,344 
                                                                                                                    ----------   --------- 
At 31 Dec 2018     34,336,885     (45,452)   4,769,315     (66,540)  1,154,025    (717,910)     36,778    (36,778)  40,297,003    (866,680) 
----------------- 
ECL 
 release/(charge) 
 for the period             -      36,882            -     (39,314)          -     (60,477)          -          -            -     (62,909) 
Recoveries                  -           -            -           -           -         158           -          -            -         158 
Others                      -      25,829            -     (27,052)          -      (1,020)          -          -            -      (2,243) 
Total ECL Charge 
 for the period             -      62,711            -     (66,366)          -     (61,339)          -          -            -     (64,994) 
-----------------  ----------   ---------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------  ---------   ----------   --------- 
 
 
 
 
 Personal lending - Reconciliation of changes in gross carrying/nominal amount and allowances 
  for loans and advances to banks and 
  customers including loan commitments and financial guarantees 
 
                                Non-credit impaired                   Credit impaired 
                   ----------------------------------------------  ---------------------- 
                          Stage 1                 Stage 2                 Stage 3                   Total 
                   ----------------------  ----------------------  ----------------------  ------------------------ 
                       Gross                   Gross                   Gross                   Gross 
                   carrying/               carrying/               carrying/               carrying/ 
                     nominal   Allowance     nominal   Allowance     nominal   Allowance     nominal   Allowance 
                      amount     for ECL      amount     for ECL      amount     for ECL      amount     for ECL 
                      US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000      US$000 
                   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
At 1 Jan 2018      5,931,353     (29,174)    209,212     (53,357)    265,385    (162,365)  6,405,950    (244,896) 
-----------------  ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
Transfers of 
 financial 
 instruments:       (122,820)     (4,326)     16,698      53,849     106,122     (49,523)          -           - 
-----------------                                                                          ---------   --------- 
Net remeasurement 
 of ECL arising 
 from transfer of 
 stage                     -       3,941           -      (5,661)          -        (164)          -      (1,884) 
                   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
Net new and 
 further lending 
 / (repayments)     (310,693)     (1,559)    (17,237)    (38,224)    (17,675)    (40,768)   (345,605)    (80,551) 
-----------------  ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
Assets written 
 off                       -           -           -           -    (101,918)    101,918    (101,918)    101,918 
                                                                                           ---------   --------- 
Foreign exchange 
 and others            1,465          (4)         32          (8)       (260)        (33)      1,237         (45) 
-----------------                                                                          ---------   --------- 
Others                     -          (2)          -          (2)        158      (1,689)        158      (1,693) 
                                                                                           ---------   --------- 
At 31 Dec 2018     5,499,305     (31,124)    208,705     (43,403)    251,812    (152,624)  5,959,822    (227,151) 
-----------------  ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
ECL 
 release/(charge) 
 for the period            -       2,382           -     (43,885)          -     (40,932)          -     (82,435) 
                                                                                           ---------   --------- 
Recoveries                 -           -           -           -           -      22,088           -      22,088 
                   ---------   ---------                           ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
Others                     -      (2,482)          -           -           -           -           -      (2,482) 
                   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
Total ECL Charge 
 for the period            -        (100)          -     (43,885)          -     (18,844)          -     (62,829) 
-----------------  ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------   --------- 
 

Credit quality of financial instruments

Credit Review and Risk Identification teams regularly review exposures and processes in order to provide an independent, rigorous assessment of the credit risk management framework across the HSBC Group, reinforce secondary risk management controls and share best practice. Internal audit, as a tertiary control function, focuses on risks with a global perspective and on the design and effectiveness of primary and secondary controls, carrying out oversight audits via the sampling of global/regional control frameworks, themed audits of key or emerging risks and project audits to assess major change initiatives.

The five credit quality classifications defined below each encompass a range of more granular, internal credit rating grades assigned to wholesale and retail lending businesses, as well as the external ratings attributed by external agencies to debt securities.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    57 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

There is no direct correlation between the internal and external ratings at granular level, except to the extent each falls within a single quality classification.

 
 
 
 Credit quality classification 
                        Debt securities and other bills       Wholesale lending             Retail lending 
                                 External credit rating  Internal credit rating  Internal credit rating(2) 
Quality classification 
Strong                                     A- and above        CRR(1) 1 to CRR2               Band 1 and 2 
Good                                       BBB+ to BBB-                    CRR3                     Band 3 
Satisfactory                       BB+ to B and unrated            CRR4 to CRR5               Band 4 and 5 
Sub-standard                                    B- to C            CRR6 to CRR8                     Band 6 
Impaired                                        Default           CRR9 to CRR10                     Band 7 
----------------------  -------------------------------  ----------------------  ------------------------- 
 
 
 
1  Customer risk rating. 
 
 
 
2  12-month point-in-time ('PIT') probability weighted probability of default ('PD'). 
 
 
 
 
Quality 
 classification 
 definitions 
 
 -- 
 
 'Strong' 
 exposures 
 demonstrate 
 a 
 strong 
 capacity 
 to 
 meet 
 financial 
 commitments, 
 with 
 negligible 
 or 
 low 
 probability 
 of 
 default 
 and/or 
 low 
 levels 
 of 
 expected 
 loss. 
 
 -- 
 
 'Good' 
 exposures 
 require 
 closer 
 monitoring 
 and 
 demonstrate 
 a 
 good 
 capacity 
 to 
 meet 
 financial 
 commitments, 
 with 
 low 
 default 
 risk. 
 
 -- 
 
 'Satisfactory' 
 exposures 
 require 
 closer 
 monitoring 
 and 
 demonstrate 
 an 
 average 
 to 
 fair 
 capacity 
 to 
 meet 
 financial 
 commitments, 
 with 
 moderate 
 
 default 
 risk. 
 
 -- 
 
 'Sub-standard' 
 exposures 
 require 
 varying 
 degrees 
 of 
 special 
 attention 
 and 
 default 
 risk 
 is 
 of 
 greater 
 concern. 
 
 -- 
 
 'Impaired' 
 exposures 
 have 
 been 
 assessed 
 as 
 impaired. 
 These 
 also 
 include 
 retail 
 accounts 
 classified 
 as 
 Band 
 1 
 to 
 Band 
 6 
 that 
 are 
 delinquent 
 by 
 more 
 than 
 90 
 days, 
 unless 
 individually 
 they 
 have 
 been 
 assessed 
 as 
 not 
 impaired; 
 and 
 renegotiated 
 loans 
 that 
 have 
 met 
 the 
 requirements 
 to 
 be 
 disclosed 
 as 
 impaired 
 and 
 have 
 not 
 yet 
 met 
 the 
 criteria 
 to 
 be 
 returned 
 to 
 the 
 unimpaired 
 portfolio. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Risk rating scales

The customer risk rating ('CRR') 10-grade scale summarises a more granular underlying 23-grade scale of obligor probability of default ('PD'). All HSBC customers are rated using the 10- or 23-grade scale, depending on the degree of sophistication of the Basel II approach adopted for the exposure.

Previously, retail lending credit quality was disclosed under IAS 39, which was based on expected-loss percentages. Now, retail lending credit quality is disclosed on an IFRS 9 basis, which is based on a 12-month point-in-time ('PIT') probability weighted probability of default ('PD').

For debt securities and certain other financial instruments, external ratings have been aligned to the five quality classifications. The ratings of Standard and Poor's are cited, with those of other agencies being treated equivalently. Debt securities with short-term issue ratings are reported against the long-term rating of the issuer of those securities. If major rating agencies have different ratings for the same debt securities, a prudent rating selection is made in line with regulatory requirements.

 
 
 
 
 
 58   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Distribution of financial instruments by credit quality 
                                    Gross carrying/notional amount 
                ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                           Sub-     Credit               Allowance 
                    Strong        Good  Satisfactory   standard   impaired       Total     for ECL          Net 
                    US$000      US$000        US$000     US$000     US$000      US$000      US$000       US$000 
                ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
In-scope for 
IFRS 9 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 customers 
 held at 
 amortised 
 cost            5,805,304   6,522,422     6,817,823    649,050  1,338,011  21,132,610  (1,059,235)  20,073,375 
                ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 banks held 
 at amortised 
 cost            4,089,114     677,967       291,785          -          -   5,058,866      (1,558)   5,057,308 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Cash and 
 balances at 
 central banks   1,170,499           -             -          -          -   1,170,499        (140)   1,170,359 
Items in the 
 course of 
 collection 
 from other 
 banks              81,984           -             -          -          -      81,984           -       81,984 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Reverse 
 repurchase 
 agreements - 
 non-trading       225,912     271,718       257,454          -          -     755,084          (8)     755,076 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Other 
financial 
assets held at 
amortised cost           -           -             -          -          -           -           -            - 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Other assets        76,000     145,636       539,457     16,309          -     777,402        (484)     776,918 
                            ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
- endorsements 
 and 
 acceptances        37,679     145,162       307,316     16,309          -     506,466        (484)     505,982 
- accrued 
 income and 
 other              38,321         474       232,141          -          -     270,936           -      270,936 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Debt 
 instruments 
 measured at 
 fair value 
 through other 
 comprehensive 
 income(24)      2,332,094           -     3,363,479          -          -   5,695,573      (1,112)   5,694,461 
                ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Out-of-scope 
for IFRS 9 
Trading assets      41,851      11,390       181,644     11,271          -     246,156           -      246,156 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Derivatives        795,974      88,074        64,486      4,688          -     953,222           -      953,222 
--------------  ---------- 
Total gross 
 carrying 
 amount on 
 balance sheet  14,618,732   7,717,207    11,516,128    681,318  1,338,011  35,871,396  (1,062,537)  34,808,859 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Loan and other 
 credit 
 related 
 commitments     3,141,026   1,536,192       936,769     34,042        604   5,648,633      (2,736)   5,645,897 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Financial 
 guarantee and 
 similar 
 contracts       5,851,288   4,494,695     3,328,894    637,839    104,000  14,416,716     (30,302)  14,386,414 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Total nominal 
 amount off 
 balance sheet   8,992,314   6,030,887     4,265,663    671,881    104,604  20,065,349     (33,038)  20,032,311 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
At 31 Dec 2018  23,611,046  13,748,094    15,781,791  1,353,199  1,442,615  55,936,745  (1,095,575)  54,841,170 
--------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                                    31 Dec 2017 
                         Neither past due not impaired 
                   -----------------------------------  ------------ 
                                                                      Past due                  Total 
                                                                       but not                  gross  Impairment 
                       Strong       Good  Satisfactory  Sub-standard  impaired   Impaired      amount   allowance        Total 
                         $000       $000          $000          $000      $000       $000        $000        $000         $000 
                   ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Cash and balances 
 at central banks     412,471    258,969             -             -         -          -     671,440           -      671,440 
                   ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Items in the 
 course of 
 collection from 
 other banks                -          -        64,419             -         -          -      64,419           -       64,419 
                   ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Trading assets        175,920     52,474       206,757         5,473         -          -     440,624           -      440,624 
                   ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Derivatives           786,228     57,088       116,743         3,043         -          -     963,102           -      963,102 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 customers held 
 at amortised 
 cost               8,203,402  4,838,749     3,778,032       582,220   652,199  1,333,677  19,388,279  (1,071,499)  18,316,780 
-----------------  ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Loans and 
 advances to 
 banks held at 
 amortised cost     4,970,773  1,112,464       119,965             -         -          -   6,203,202           -    6,203,202 
Reverse 
 repurchase 
 agreements 
 - non-trading        927,235     19,242       440,777             -         -          -   1,387,254           -    1,387,254 
Financial 
 investments        1,778,092          -     4,850,179             -         -          -   6,628,271           -    6,628,271 
Other assets           19,648    152,263       394,197         4,874    12,110      4,448     587,540           -      587,540 
-----------------  ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
At 31 Dec 2017     17,273,769  6,491,249     9,971,069       595,610   664,309  1,338,125  36,334,131  (1,071,499)  35,262,632 
-----------------  ----------  ---------  ------------  ------------  --------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    59 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Distribution of financial instruments to which the impairment requirements in IFRS 9 are applied, 
  by credit quality and stage 
  allocation 
 
                                     Gross carrying/notional amount 
                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                            Sub-     Credit               Allowance 
                     Strong        Good  Satisfactory   standard   impaired       Total     for ECL          Net 
                     US$000      US$000        US$000     US$000     US$000      US$000      US$000       US$000 
                             ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
Gross carrying 
 amount on 
 balance sheet   13,780,907   7,617,743    11,269,998    665,359  1,338,011  34,672,018  (1,062,537)  33,609,481 
--------------- 
- stage 1        13,347,394   7,403,873     9,924,199    374,109          -  31,049,575     (68,688)  30,980,887 
- stage 2           433,513     213,870     1,345,799    291,250          -   2,284,432     (92,254)   2,192,178 
- stage 3                 -           -             -          -  1,301,233   1,301,233    (864,817)     436,416 
- POCI                    -           -             -          -     36,778      36,778     (36,778)           - 
---------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------              ---------- 
Nominal amount 
 off balance 
 sheet            8,992,314   6,030,887     4,265,663    671,881    104,604  20,065,349     (33,038)  20,032,311 
---------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
- stage 1         8,989,132   5,222,443     2,743,132    215,326          -  17,170,033      (9,338)  17,160,695 
- stage 2             3,182     808,444     1,522,531    456,555          -   2,790,712     (17,983)   2,772,729 
- stage 3                 -           -             -          -    104,604     104,604      (5,717)      98,887 
--------------- 
- POCI                    -           -             -          -          -           -           -            - 
---------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  --------- 
At 31 Dec 2018   22,773,221  13,648,630    15,535,661  1,337,240  1,442,615  54,737,367  (1,095,575)  53,641,792 
---------------  ----------  ----------  ------------  ---------  ---------  ----------  ----------   ---------- 
 

Past due but not impaired gross financial instruments

Past due but not impaired gross financial instruments are those loans where, although customers have failed to make payments in accordance with the contractual terms of their facilities, they have not met the impaired loan criteria. This is typically when a loan is less than 90 days past due and there are no other indicators of impairment.

Further examples of exposures past due but not impaired include individually assessed mortgages that are in arrears more than

90 days, but there are no other indicators of impairment and the value of collateral is sufficient to repay both the principal debt and all potential interest for at least one year or short-term trade facilities past due more than 90 days for technical reasons such as delays in documentation but there is no concern over the creditworthiness of the counterparty.

The following table provides an analysis of gross loans and advances to customers held at amortised cost which are past due but not considered impaired. There are no other significant balance sheet items where past due balances are not considered impaired.

 
 
 
 Ageing analysis of days for past due but not impaired gross financial instruments 
                                                                 30-59   60-89  90-179   180 days 
                                                 Up to 29 days    days    days    days   and over    Total 
                                                        US$000  US$000  US$000  US$000     US$000   US$000 
Loans and advances to customers held at 
 amortised cost                                        271,541  40,088  49,556       -          -  361,185 
- personal                                              36,892  16,862  15,140       -          -   68,894 
- corporate and commercial                             234,389  23,226  34,416       -          -  292,031 
- non-bank financial institutions                          260       -       -       -          -      260 
                                                 -------------  ------  ------  ------  ---------  ------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                                         271,541  40,088  49,556       -          -  361,185 
-----------------------------------------------  -------------  ------  ------  ------  ---------  ------- 
 
Loans and advances to customers held at 
 amortised cost                                        540,346  52,147  35,541  10,234     13,931  652,199 
- personal                                              51,141  25,815  17,497       -          -   94,453 
- corporate and commercial                             474,023  26,332  18,036  10,234     13,926  542,551 
- non-bank financial institutions                       15,182       -       8       -          5   15,195 
At 31 Dec 2017                                         540,346  52,147  35,541  10,234     13,931  652,199 
-----------------------------------------------  -------------  ------  ------  ------  ---------  ------- 
 

Impaired loans

Impaired and stage 3 loans and advances are those that meet any of the following criteria:

 
 
--  Wholesale loans and advances classified as Customer Risk Rating ('CRR') 9 or CRR 10. These 
     grades are assigned when the group considers that either the customer is unlikely to pay their 
     credit obligations in full without recourse to security, or when the customer is more than 
     90 days past due on any material credit obligation to the group. 
 
 
 
--  Retail loans and advances classified as Band 10 . These grades are typically assigned to retail 
     loans and advances more than 90 days past due unless individually they have been assessed 
     as not impaired. 
 
 
 
--  Renegotiated loans and advances that have been subject to a change in contractual cash flows 
     as a result of a concession which the lender would not otherwise consider, and where it is 
     probable that without the concession the borrower would be unable to meet its contractual 
     payment obligations in full, unless the concession is insignificant and there are no other 
     indicators of impairment. Renegotiated loans remain classified as impaired until there is 
     sufficient evidence to demonstrate a significant reduction in the risk of non-payment of future 
     cash flows, and there are no other indicators of impairment. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 60   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Movement in impairment allowances on loans and advances to customers and banks 
                                                                                 2017 
                                                       --------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                                               Customers 
                                                               Banks 
                                                        individually  Individually   Collectively 
                                                            assessed      assessed       assessed       Total 
                                                              US$000        US$000         US$000      US$000 
At 1 Jan                                                           -       946,230        198,237   1,144,467 
Amounts written off                                                -      (131,548)      (108,734)   (240,282) 
Recoveries of loans and advances previously written 
 off                                                               -           334         21,022      21,356 
Charge to income statement                                         -        87,243         53,985     141,228 
Exchange and other movements                                       -         5,401           (671)      4,730 
At 31 Dec                                                          -       907,660        163,839   1,071,499 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------------  ------------   ------------   --------- 
 

Renegotiated loans and forbearance

Where a loan is modified due to significant concerns about the borrower's ability to meet contractual payments when due, a range of forbearance strategies is employed in order to improve the management of customer relationships, maximise collection opportunities and, if possible, avoid default, foreclosure or repossession.

Identifying renegotiated loans

Loans are identified as renegotiated loans when the group modifies the contractual payment terms due to significant credit distress of the borrower. 'Forbearance' describes concessions made on the contractual terms of a loan in response to an obligor's financial difficulties. The group classifies and report loans on which concessions have been granted under conditions of credit distress as 'renegotiated loans' when their contractual payment terms have been modified because the group has significant concerns about the borrowers' ability to meet contractual payments when due.

When considering modification terms, the borrower's continued ability to repay is assessed and where they are unrelated to payment arrangements, whilst potential indicators of impairment, these loans are not considered as renegotiated loans. Loans that have been identified as renegotiated retain this designation until maturity or derecognition. A loan that is renegotiated is derecognised if the existing agreement is cancelled and a new agreement is made on substantially different terms or if the terms of an existing agreement are modified such that the renegotiated loan is substantially a different financial instrument. Any new loans that arise following derecognition events will continue to be disclosed as renegotiated loans.

Credit Quality of Renegotiated Loans

Under IFRSs, an entity is required to assess whether there is objective evidence that financial assets are impaired at the end of each reporting period. A loan is impaired and an impairment allowance is recognised when there is objective evidence of a loss event that has an effect on the cash flows of the loan which can be reliably estimated.

When the group grants a concession to a customer that the group would not otherwise consider, as a result of their financial difficulty, this is objective evidence of impairment and impairment losses are measured accordingly.

A renegotiated loan is presented as impaired when:

 
 
--  there has been a change in contractual cash flows as a result of a concession which the lender 
     would otherwise not consider, and; 
 
 
 
--  it is probable that without the concession, the borrower would be unable to meet contractual 
     payment obligations in full. 
 

This presentation applies unless the concession is insignificant and there are no other indicators of impairment.

The renegotiated loan will continue to be disclosed as impaired until there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate a significant reduction in the risk of non-payment of future cash flows, and there are no other indicators of impairment.

Renegotiated loans are classified as unimpaired where the renegotiation has resulted from significant concern about a borrower's ability to meet their contractual payment terms but the renegotiated terms are based on current market rates and contractual cash flows are expected to be collected in full following the renegotiation. Unimpaired renegotiated loans also include previously impaired renegotiated loans that have demonstrated satisfactory performance over a period of time or have been assessed based on all available evidence as having no remaining indicators of impairment.

Loans that have been identified as renegotiated retain this designation until maturity or derecognition. When a loan is restructured as part of a forbearance strategy and the restructuring results in derecognition of the existing loan, such as in some debt consolidations, the new loan is disclosed as renegotiated.

When determining whether a loan that is restructured should be derecognised and a new loan recognised, the group considers the extent to which the changes to the original contractual terms result in the renegotiated loan, considered as a whole, being a substantially different financial instrument.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    61 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Renegotiated loans and advances to customers by industry sector 
                                          First lien         Other     Corporate      Non-bank 
                                         residential      personal           and     financial  Renegotiated 
                                           mortgages       lending    commercial  institutions         loans 
                                              US$000        US$000        US$000        US$000        US$000 
Stage 1                                            -             -       348,750        14,785       363,535 
                                                                    ------------  ------------ 
Stage 2                                            -             -       117,285             -       117,285 
                                                                    ------------ 
Stage 3                                      125,129        15,875       697,066             -       838,070 
--------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------ 
Renegotiated loans At 31 Dec 2018            125,129        15,875     1,163,101        14,785     1,318,890 
--------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------ 
Allowance for expected credit losses 
 on renegotiated loans                                                                               547,893 
--------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------ 
 
Neither past due nor impaired                 23,707        12,986        74,854       248,276       359,823 
Past due but not impaired                      4,166           638        16,097             -        20,901 
Impaired                                      85,243        14,801       615,884        45,007       760,935 
Renegotiated loans At 31 Dec 2017            113,116        28,425       706,835       293,283     1,141,659 
--------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------ 
Impairment allowances on renegotiated 
 loans                                                                                               487,889 
--------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------ 
 

For retail lending, unsecured renegotiated loans are generally segmented from other parts of the loan portfolio. Renegotiated expected credit loss assessments reflect the higher rates of losses typically encountered with renegotiated loans. For wholesale lending, renegotiated loans are typically assessed individually. Credit risk ratings are intrinsic to the impairment assessments. The individual impairment assessment takes into account the higher risk of the future non-payment inherent in renegotiated loans.

For details of our impairment policies on loans and advances and financial investments, see Note 2.2(i) on the Financial Statements.

Collateral and other credit enhancements held

Loans and advances held at amortised cost

Although collateral can be an important mitigant of credit risk, it is the group's practice to lend on the basis of the customer's ability to meet their obligations out of cash flow resources rather than rely on the value of security offered. Depending on the customer's standing and the type of product, facilities may be provided without security. However, for other lending a charge over collateral is obtained and considered in determining the credit decision and pricing. In the event of default, the group may utilise the collateral as a source of repayment. Depending on its form, collateral can have a significant financial effect in mitigating the group's exposure to credit risk.

The tables below provide a quantification of the value of fixed charges the group holds over specific asset (or assets) where the group has a history of enforcing, and are able to enforce, the collateral in satisfying a debt in the event of the borrower failing to meet its contractual obligations, and where the collateral is cash or can be realised by sale in an established market. The collateral valuation in the tables below excludes any adjustments for obtaining and selling the collateral.

The group may also manage its risk by employing other types of collateral and credit risk enhancements, such as second charges, other liens and unsupported guarantees, but the valuation of such mitigants is less certain and their financial effect has not been quantified. In particular, loans shown in the tables below as not collateralised or partially collateralised may benefit from such credit mitigants.

 
 
 
 
 
 62   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Personal lending: residential mortgage loans including loan commitments by level of collateral 
 
                                                                    Gross carrying/nominal amount 
                                                                                           US$000 
Stage 1 
Fully collateralised                                                                    1,702,109 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
LTV ratio: 
                                                    ----------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                           286,974 
- 51% to 60%                                                                              191,743 
- 61% to 70%                                                                              308,881 
- 71% to 80%                                                                              532,624 
- 81% to 90%                                                                              296,163 
- 91% to 100%                                                                              85,724 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
Partially collateralised (A):                                                             104,048 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
LTV ratio: 
- 101% to 110%                                                                             59,451 
- 111% to 120%                                                                             12,514 
- greater than 120%                                                                        32,083 
- collateral value on A                                                                   101,464 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
Total                                                                                   1,806,157 
--------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
Stage 2 
Fully collateralised                                                                       32,652 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
LTV ratio: 
- less than 50%                                                                             4,995 
- 51% to 60%                                                                                1,746 
- 61% to 70%                                                                                3,966 
- 71% to 80%                                                                               11,464 
- 81% to 90%                                                                                7,892 
- 91% to 100%                                                                               2,589 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
Partially collateralised (B):                                                               3,696 
LTV ratio: 
- 101% to 110%                                                                              1,985 
- 111% to 120%                                                                                355 
- greater than 120%                                                                         1,356 
- collateral value on B                                                                     2,331 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
Total                                                                                      36,348 
--------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
Stage 3 
Fully collateralised                                                                       58,117 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
LTV ratio: 
- less than 50%                                                                            12,064 
- 51% to 60%                                                                                5,850 
- 61% to 70%                                                                                9,893 
- 71% to 80%                                                                               13,027 
- 81% to 90%                                                                               13,928 
- 91% to 100%                                                                               3,355 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
Partially collateralised (C):                                                             108,055 
LTV ratio: 
- 101% to 110%                                                                              7,503 
- 111% to 120%                                                                             11,274 
- greater than 120%                                                                        89,278 
- collateral value on C                                                                   108,055 
                                                    --------------------------------------------- 
Total                                                                                     166,172 
--------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                                                                          2,008,677 
--------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
 

The above table shows residential mortgage lending including off-balance sheet loan commitments by level of collateral. The collateral included in the table above consists of first charges on real estate.

The LTV ratio is calculated as the gross on balance sheet carrying amount of the loan and any off-balance sheet loan commitment at the balance sheet date divided by the value of collateral. The methodologies for obtaining residential property collateral values vary throughout the group, but are typically determined through a combination of professional appraisals, house price indices or statistical analysis. Valuations must be updated on a regular basis and, as a minimum, at intervals of every three years.

Other personal lending

The other personal lending consists primarily of motor vehicle, credit cards and second lien portfolios. Motor vehicle lending is generally collateralised by the motor vehicle financed. Credit cards and overdrafts are generally unsecured. Second lien lending is supported by collateral but the claim on the collateral is subordinate to the first lien charge.

Collateral on loans and advances

Commercial real estate loans and advances

Collateral held is analysed separately below for commercial real estate and for other corporate, commercial and financial (non-bank) lending. The analysis includes off--balance sheet loan commitments, primarily undrawn credit lines.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    63 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 Wholesale lending: commercial real estate loans and advances including loan commitments by 
  level of collateral 
 
                                                                Gross carrying/nominal amount 
                                                                                       US$000 
Stage 1 
                                                   -------------------------------------------- 
Not collateralised                                                                  2,096,358 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Fully collateralised                                                                   62,612 
LTV ratio: 
-------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                        19,887 
- 51% to 75%                                                                           13,771 
- 76% to 90%                                                                                - 
- 91% to 100%                                                                          28,954 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Partially collateralised (A):                                                         291,120 
- collateral value on A                                                               250,289 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Total                                                                               2,450,090 
-------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------ 
Stage 2 
Not collateralised                                                                    202,884 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Fully collateralised                                                                   22,143 
LTV ratio: 
-------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                             - 
- 51% to 75%                                                                           19,251 
- 76% to 90%                                                                                - 
- 91% to 100%                                                                           2,892 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Partially collateralised (B):                                                               - 
- collateral value on B                                                                     - 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Total                                                                                 225,027 
-------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------ 
Stage 3 
Not collateralised                                                                     30,699 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Fully collateralised                                                                    6,900 
LTV ratio: 
-------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                         6,900 
- 51% to 75%                                                                                - 
- 76% to 90%                                                                                - 
- 91% to 100%                                                                               - 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Partially collateralised (C):                                                         171,080 
- collateral value on C                                                               163,180 
                                                   ------------------------------------------ 
Total                                                                                 208,679 
-------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------ 
At 31 Dec 2018                                                                      2,883,796 
-------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------ 
 

The collateral included in the table above consists of fixed first charges on real estate and charges over cash for commercial real estate. These facilities are disclosed as not collateralised if they are unsecured or benefit from credit risk mitigation from guarantees, which are not quantified for the purposes of this disclosure.

The value of commercial real estate collateral is determined through a combination of professional and internal valuations and physical inspection. Due to the complexity of valuing collateral for commercial real estate, local valuation policies determine the frequency of review based on local market conditions. Revaluations are sought with greater frequency when, as part of the regular credit assessment of the obligor, material concerns arise in relation to the transaction which may reflect on the underlying performance of the collateral, or in circumstances where an obligor's credit quality has declined sufficiently to cause concern that the principal payment source may not fully meet the obligation (i.e. the obligor's credit quality classification indicates it is at the lower end, that is sub-standard, or approaching impaired). Where such concerns exist the revaluation method selected will depend upon the loan-to-value relationship, the direction in which the local commercial real estate market has moved since the last valuation and, most importantly, the specific characteristics of the underlying commercial real estate which is of concern.

Other corporate, commercial and financial (non-bank) is analysed separately below reflecting the difference in collateral held on the portfolios. For financing activities in corporate and commercial lending that are not predominantly commercial real estate-oriented, collateral value is not strongly correlated to principal repayment performance. Collateral values are generally refreshed when an obligor's general credit performance deteriorates and we have to assess the likely performance of secondary sources of repayment should it prove necessary to rely on them.

 
 
 
 
 
 64   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Wholesale lending: other corporate, commercial and financial (non-bank) loans and advances 
  including loan commitments by level 
  of collateral by stage 
 
                                                                Gross carrying/nominal amount 
                                                                                       US$000 
Stage 1 
                                                  --------------------------------------------- 
Not collateralised                                                                 22,307,080 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Fully collateralised                                                                  225,816 
LTV ratio: 
------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                        53,703 
- 51% to 75%                                                                           24,811 
- 76% to 90%                                                                           42,405 
- 91% to 100%                                                                         104,897 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Partially collateralised (A):                                                       1,228,335 
- collateral value on A                                                               273,996 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Total                                                                              23,761,231 
------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------- 
Stage 2 
Not collateralised                                                                  2,046,132 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Fully collateralised                                                                    8,290 
LTV ratio: 
------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                           361 
- 51% to 75%                                                                            2,547 
- 76% to 90%                                                                            5,185 
- 91% to 100%                                                                             197 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Partially collateralised (B):                                                         168,220 
- collateral value on B                                                                70,693 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Total                                                                               2,222,642 
------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------- 
Stage 3 
Not collateralised                                                                    701,751 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Fully collateralised                                                                   90,958 
LTV ratio: 
------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                         2,830 
- 51% to 75%                                                                           21,303 
- 76% to 90%                                                                           66,825 
- 91% to 100%                                                                               - 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Partially collateralised (C):                                                         134,277 
- collateral value on C                                                                51,433 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Total                                                                                 926,986 
------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------- 
POCI 
------------------------------------------------ 
Not collateralised                                                                     36,778 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Fully collateralised                                                                        - 
LTV ratio: 
------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------- 
- less than 50%                                                                             - 
- 51% to 75%                                                                                - 
- 76% to 90%                                                                                - 
- 91% to 100%                                                                               - 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Partially collateralised (C):                                                               - 
- collateral value on C                                                                     - 
                                                  ------------------------------------------- 
Total                                                                                  36,778 
------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------- 
At 31 Dec 2018                                                                     26,947,637 
------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------- 
 

Other credit risk exposures

In addition to collateralised lending described above, other credit enhancements are employed and methods used to mitigate credit risk arising from financial assets. These are described in more detail below.

Securities issued by governments, banks and other financial institutions may benefit from additional credit enhancement, notably through government guarantees that reference these assets.

Trading assets include loans and advances held with trading intent, the majority of which consist of reverse repos and stock borrowing which, by their nature, are collateralised.

The group's maximum exposure to credit risk includes financial guarantees and similar arrangements that the group issues or enters into, and loan commitments that the group are irrevocably committed to. Depending on the terms of the arrangement, the group may have recourse to additional credit mitigation in the event that a guarantee is called upon or a loan commitment is drawn and subsequently defaults.

Derivatives

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association ('ISDA') Master Agreement is our preferred agreement for documenting derivatives activity. It provides the contractual framework within which dealing activity across a full range of over-the-counter ('OTC') products is conducted, and contractually binds both parties to apply close-out netting across all outstanding transactions covered by an agreement if either party defaults or another pre-agreed termination event occurs. It is common, and our preferred practice, for the parties to execute a

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    65 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Credit Support Annex ('CSA') in conjunction with the ISDA Master Agreement. Under a CSA, collateral is passed between the parties to mitigate the counterparty risk inherent in outstanding positions.

Concentration of exposure

Concentrations of credit risk arise when a number of counterparties or exposures have comparable economic characteristics or such counterparties are engaged in similar activities or industry sectors so that their collective ability to meet contractual obligations is uniformly affected by changes in economic, political or other conditions. The group uses a number of controls and measures to minimise undue concentration of exposure in our portfolios across industry and global businesses. These include portfolio and counterparty limits, approval and review controls, and stress testing.

The group provides a diverse range of financial services both in the Middle East and internationally. As a result, its portfolio of financial instruments with credit risk is diversified, with no exposures to individual industries or economic groupings totalling more than 10% of consolidated total assets, except as follows:

 
 
--  the majority of the group's exposure to credit risk is concentrated in the Middle East. Within 
     the Middle East, the group's credit risk is diversified over a wide range of industrial and 
     economic groupings; and 
 
 
 
--  the group's position as part of a major international banking group means, that it has a significant 
     concentration of exposure to banking counterparties. The majority of credit risk to the banking 
     industry at 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2017 was concentrated in the Middle East. 
 

Wrong-way risk is an aggravated form of concentration risk and arises when there is a strong correlation between the counterparty's probability of default and the mark-to-market value of the underlying transaction. The group uses a range of procedures to monitor and control wrong-way risk, including requiring entities to obtain prior approval before undertaking wrong-way risk transactions outside pre-agreed guidelines.

 
 
 
 Gross loans and advances to customers by industry sector 
                                                               Gross loans and advances to customers 
                                                             ----------------------------------------- 
                                                                                         As a % of 
                                                                     Total       total gross loans 
At 31 Dec 2018                                                      US$000                       % 
Personal 
- residential mortgages                                          2,008,677                    9.51% 
- other personal                                                 1,908,830                    9.03% 
                                                             -------------  ---------------------- 
                                                                 3,917,507                      18.54% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------------------- 
Corporate and commercial 
- commercial, industrial and international trade                 9,347,222                      44.23% 
- commercial real estate                                           912,243                       4.32% 
- other property-related                                         1,952,717                       9.24% 
- government                                                     1,640,769                       7.76% 
- other commercial                                               3,114,514                      14.74% 
                                                                16,967,465                      80.29% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------------------- 
Financial 
- non-bank financial institutions                                  247,638                       1.17% 
Total gross loans and advances to customers                     21,132,610                     100.00% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------------------- 
Impaired loans 
- as a percentage of gross loans and advances to customers           6.33% 
                                                             ------------- 
Total impairment allowances 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------------------- 
- as a percentage of gross loans and advances to customers           5.01% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------------------- 
At 31 Dec 2017 
Personal 
- residential mortgages                                          1,922,061                    9.91% 
                                                                            ---------------------- 
- other personal                                                 2,126,199                   10.97% 
                                                                 4,048,260                   20.88% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  ---------------------- 
Corporate and commercial 
                                                             ------------- 
- commercial, industrial and international trade                 9,362,937                   48.29% 
                                                             ------------- 
- commercial real estate                                           485,073                    2.50% 
- other property-related                                         1,583,928                    8.17% 
- government                                                     1,356,987                    7.00% 
- other commercial                                               2,470,570                   12.74% 
                                                                15,259,495                   78.70% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  ---------------------- 
Financial 
- non-bank financial institutions                                   80,524                    0.42% 
                                                             ------------- 
Total gross loans and advances to customers                     19,388,279                  100.00% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  ---------------------- 
Impaired loans 
- as a percentage of gross loans and advances to customers           6.88% 
Total impairment allowances 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------------------- 
- as a percentage of gross loans and advances to customers           5.53% 
-----------------------------------------------------------  -------------  -------------------------- 
 

Areas of special interest

Whilst geopolitical risk in the Middle East moderated slightly during 2018, it remained heightened with economic and diplomatic sanctions on Qatar continuing and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia facing challenges on the international stage. However, the majority of the group's exposures in the region continued to be concentrated in the UAE, where the political and economic landscape remained stable.

 
 
 
 
 
 66   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Elsewhere across the region where the group has presence, economic and political change including social unrest are carefully monitored with risk appetite adjusted accordingly. 2018 saw some further recovery in oil prices which relieved pressure on fiscal budgets regionally but did not translate into any material improvement in underlying economic activity as subsidy reform, introduction of VAT and impact of Qatar dispute all combined to offset any positive impact of higher oil prices. Whilst oil prices softened towards the end of 2018, this is not expected to result in any change in Government fiscal activity as long as prices remain broadly where they are. On that assumption, there should be an improvement in economic activity as the impact of VAT and other negatives work their way through the system but any improvement is likely to be modest with limited impact on companies financial performance during the year.

Wholesale lending

Wholesale lending covers the range of credit facilities granted to sovereign borrowers, banks, non-bank financial institutions and corporate entities. The group's wholesale portfolios are well diversified across industry sectors throughout the region, with exposure subject to portfolio controls.

Subdued economic activity continues to create challenging market conditions across all sectors such as Retail, Automotive Dealership, Commercial Real Estate, and Tourism etc. The Contracting sector continues to experience challenges as paymasters delay payments placing increased pressure on main and sub-contractors. In addition, the volume of new projects has slowed resulting in severe competition and squeezed margins being seen for new projects.

The outlook for hydrocarbon production and prices remains a key determinant of confidence in the region and continues to bring uncertainty into the region's economies.

During 2018, the group continued to manage its counterparty exposures in Middle East countries most at risk from the uncertain political environment. A number of measures are taken by conducting portfolio stress testing, using lending guidelines dynamically, monitoring of sector concentrations in addition to regular reviews of industries including Oil and Gas, Contracting, Retail and Auto Dealer sectors. Second order risk continues to be a concern and reviews have been completed on Large Concentration risks and Cross Border exposure. The Regional Portfolio Oversight Council continues to review both internal and external portfolio trends.

Commercial real estate

In the light of reduced economic activity in the regional market, Commercial real estate continues to witness a slowdown in performance with a reduction in number of transactions, fall in rentals and plateauing of prices and a fundamental supply/demand imbalance. Whilst portfolio credit quality across this sector remained broadly stable, there continues to be evidence of softening valuations which is in line with overall market sentiment and there remains risk of stress given the cyclical nature of the sector. Accordingly, across the group's portfolios, credit risk is mitigated by long-standing and conservative policies on asset origination which focus on relationships with long-term customers and limited initial leverage. HSBC Group Risk, in conjunction with major subsidiaries, designates real estate as a Specialised Lending/Controlled Sector and, accordingly, implements enhanced exposure approval, monitoring and reporting procedures. For example, the Group monitors risk appetite limits for the sector at regional level to detect and prevent higher risk concentrations. Given the developing legal environment and the region being more prone to volatility, further conservatism is adopted in the Middle East.

Sovereign counterparties

The overall quality of the group's sovereign portfolio remained strong during the period with the large majority of both in-country and cross-border limits extended to countries with strong internal credit risk ratings. Higher oil prices has brought some relief in budget deficits and more expansive fiscal measures for 2019. The group regularly updates its assessment of higher risk countries and adjusts its risk appetite to reflect prevalent market conditions as appropriate.

Liquidity and funding risk management framework

The group has an internal liquidity and funding risk management framework ('LFRF') which aims to allow it to withstand very severe liquidity stresses. It is designed to be adaptable to changing business models, markets and regulations. Liquidity risk is the risk that the group does not have sufficient financial resources to meet its obligations as they fall due, or will have to do so at an excessive cost. The risk arises from mismatches in the timing of cash flows. Funding risk arises when illiquid asset positions cannot be funded at the expected terms and when required.

Structure and organisation of the liquidity risk management function

The management of liquidity and funding is primarily undertaken locally (by country) in the operating entities in compliance with the Group's LFRF, and with practices and limits set by the Group Management Board ('GMB') through the Risk Management Meeting ('RMM') and approved by the Holdings Board for the largest entities ('RMM operating entities'): the UAE branch of the group is one such operating entity. Limits for non-RMM operating entities within the group are established by the intermediate parent company Asset Liability Committee ('ALCO'). The group ALCO is responsible for setting limits for the group non-RMM operating entities. The group's general policy is that each defined operating entity should be self-sufficient in funding its own activities.

The elements of the LFRF are underpinned by a robust governance framework, the two major elements of which are:

 
 
--  Group, regional and entity level asset and liability management committees ('ALCOs'); and 
 
 
 
--  Annual individual liquidity adequacy assessment process ('ILAAP') used to validate risk tolerance 
     and set risk appetite. 
 

The primary responsibility for managing liquidity and funding within the Group's framework and risk appetite resides with the local operating entities' ALCOs, Holdings ALCO and the RMM. The UAE branch of the bank, being an RMM operating entity, is overseen by the group ALCO, HSBC Holdings ALCO and the HSBC Group Risk Management Meeting. The remaining smaller operating entities are overseen by the group ALCO, with appropriate escalation of significant issues to HSBC Holdings ALCO and the HSBC Group Risk Management Meeting. Operating entities are predominately defined on a country basis to reflect the Group's local management of liquidity and funding.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    67 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Overall liquidity risk profile

The LFRF is delivered using the following key aspects:

 
 
--  A liquidity adequacy measure: LCR 
 
 
 
--  Single currency liquidity management 
 
 
 
--  A funding profile measure: NSFR 
 
 
 
--  A deposit concentration measure 
 
 
 
--  Wholesale Market term funding maturity concentration measures 
 
 
 
--  Analysis of off-balance sheet commitments, including limits on undrawn facilities 
 
 
 
--  Intraday liquidity 
 
 
 
--  Individual Liquidity Adequacy Assessment and Liquidity Stress Testing 
 
 
 
--  Liquidity Funds Transfer Pricing 
 
 
 
--  Contingency Funding Plans 
 
 
 
--  Forward Looking Funding Status Assessments 
 
 
 
--  Asset encumbrance 
 

Liquidity and funding risk

Liquidity coverage ratio ('LCR')

The LCR aims to ensure that a bank has sufficient unencumbered high-quality liquid assets ('HQLA') to meet its liquidity needs in a 30 calendar day liquidity stress scenario. For the calculation of the LCR, the group follows the guidelines set by the European Commission.

Net stable funding ratio ('NSFR')

HSBC uses the NSFR as a basis for establishing stable funding. The net stable funding ratio ('NSFR') measures stable funding relative to required stable funding, and reflects a bank's long-term funding profile (funding with a term of more than a year). It is designed to complement the LCR.

Depositor concentration and wholesale market term funding maturity concentration

The LCR and NSFR metrics assume a stressed outflow based on a portfolio of depositors within each deposit segment. The validity of these assumptions is challenged if the portfolio of depositors is not large enough to avoid depositor concentration. Operating entities are exposed to term re-financing concentration risk if the current maturity profile results in future maturities being overly concentrated in any defined period.

The group monitors depositor concentration and term funding maturity concentration. Both metrics are subject to limits which are approved by the group Board.

Liquid assets

Liquid assets are held and managed on a stand-alone operating entity basis. Most are held directly by each operating entity's Balance Sheet Management ('BSM') department, primarily for the purpose of managing liquidity risk in line with the LFRF.

Liquid assets also include any unencumbered liquid assets held outside BSM departments for any other purpose. The LFRF gives ultimate control of all unencumbered assets and sources of liquidity to BSM.

Contingency Funding Plan (CPF)

The CFP ensures that the group can cope in the event of a liquidity stress, by having an actionable plan in place.

Management of liquidity risk

Liquidity coverage ratio ('LCR')

The LCR metric is designed to promote the short-term resilience of a bank's liquidity profile, and became a minimum regulatory standard from 1 October 2015, under European Commission ('EC') Delegated Regulation 2015/61.

 
 
 
 Delegated Act ('DA') LCR 
 Unaudited                                                2018     2017 
                                                             %        % 
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited                              214      235 
-----------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 

The group additionally computes and reports a DFSA-basis LCR, which differs from the Delegated Act ('DA') LCR primarily with respect to the haircuts applied to liquid securities under DA issued by Gulf Cooperation Council ('GCC') sovereign issuers and outflow percentages applied for off-balance sheet items and retail deposits.

 
 
 
 DFSA LCR 
 Unaudited                                                 2018      2017 
                                                              %         % 
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited                               205       239 
-----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 68   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Net stable funding ratio ('NSFR')

The European calibration of NSFR is pending following the Basel Committee's final recommendation in October 2014. The group calculates NSFR in line with Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's publication number 295 (BCBS295).

 
 
 
 NSFR-295 
 Unaudited                                                 2018      2017 
                                                              %         % 
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited                               138       147 
-----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

The DFSA implementation of NSFR was effective from June 2018. It differs from the Group NSFR with respect to weightings applied for off-balance sheet items and retail deposits and in the calculation for derivatives.

 
 
 
 DFSA NSFR 
 Unaudited                      2018  2017 
                                   %     % 
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited    138   N/A 
------------------------------  ----  ---- 
 
 
 
 
  Components of Net Stable Funding Ratio (Unaudited) 
 
                                         Unweighted value by residual maturity 
 
 In currency amount (US$000)     No maturity  < 6 months  6 months to < 1yr    >= 1yr     Weighted values 
 ASF (available stable funds) Item 
  1                     Capital            -           -                  -   5,551,322      5,551,322 
  2          Regulatory Capital            -           -                  -   5,551,322      5,551,322 
                                                                             ----------  ------------- 
  3               Other capital            -           -                  -           -              - 
      Retail deposits/PSIAs and            -  10,717,833                  -           -      9,646,050 
      deposits/PSIAs from small 
  4         business customers: 
  5       Stable Deposits/PSIAs            -           -                  -           -              - 
                                              ---------- 
  6  Less stable deposits/PSIAs            -  10,717,833                  -           -      9,646,050 
                                                                                         ------------- 
  7          Wholesale funding:            -  11,572,711          1,461,992     295,776      6,158,857 
         Operational deposits /                5,170,533                  -           -      2,585,266 
  8        operational accounts 
  9     Other wholesale funding                6,402,178          1,461,992     295,776      3,573,591 
      Liabilities with matching            -           -                  -           -              - 
 10       interdependent assets 
 11          Other liabilities:            -   1,786,775          1,501,128   1,298,617      2,049,181 
                NSFR derivative            -           -                  -           -              - 
            liabilities and net 
        liabilities for Shari'a 
              compliant hedging 
 12                   contracts 
      All other liabilities and            -   1,786,775          1,501,128   1,298,617      2,049,181 
     equity not included in the 
 13            above categories 
 14                   Total ASF            -  24,077,319          2,963,120   7,145,715     23,405,410 
     --------------------------  -----------  ----------  -----------------  ----------  ------------- 
 RSF (Required stable funds) Item 
        Total NSFR high-quality            -   6,837,125            320,492   2,284,456        248,951 
 15        liquid assets (HQLA) 
                                 -----------  ----------  -----------------  ----------  ------------- 
         Deposits/PSIAs held at            -           -                  -           -              - 
                other financial 
               institutions for 
 16        operational purposes 
           Performing loans and            -   9,541,319          3,590,890  10,478,895     13,867,794 
          securities (including 
              Shari'a compliant 
 17                securities): 
            Performing loans to            -     425,981             21,569           -         53,383 
         financial institutions 
 18     secured by Level 1 HQLA 
            Performing loans to            -   2,068,040            105,334   1,049,361      1,412,234 
         financial institutions 
         secured by non-Level 1 
             HQLA and unsecured 
                     performing 
             loans to financial 
 19                institutions 
       Performing loans to non-            -   6,887,128          3,362,201   7,610,052     11,045,062 
            financial corporate 
       clients, loans to retail 
             and small business 
                     customers, 
       and loans to sovereigns, 
     Central Banks and PSEs, of 
 20                      which: 
     With a risk weight of less            -   1,649,759            292,425   2,740,735      2,752,570 
 21        than or equal to 50% 
         Performing residential            -      96,969             90,496   1,602,119      1,135,110 
 22        mortgages, of which: 
     With a risk weight of less            -      96,969             90,496   1,602,119      1,135,110 
 23        than or equal to 50% 
     Securities that are not in            -      63,201             11,290     217,363        222,005 
     default and do not qualify 
             as HQLA, including 
 24    exchange-traded equities 
           Assets with matching            -           -                  -           -              - 
 25  interdependent liabilities 
 26                Other Assets            -      93,657             66,526   1,155,358      1,315,541 
                Physical traded            -           -                  -           -              - 
         commodities, including 
 27                        gold 
       Assets posted as initial            -           -                  -           -              - 
          margin for derivative 
              contracts/Shari'a 
              compliant hedging 
                      contracts 
           and contributions to 
 28       default funds of CCPs 
 29      NSFR derivative assets            -           -                  -       1,285          1,285 
                NSFR derivative            -           -                  -     182,560        182,560 
             liabilities before 
         deduction of variation 
 30               margin posted 
           All other assets not            -      93,657             66,526     971,513      1,131,696 
          included in the above 
 31                  categories 
 32     Off-balance sheet items            -  30,967,975                  -           -      1,510,523 
 33                   Total RSF            -  47,440,076          3,977,908  13,918,709     16,942,809 
     --------------------------  -----------  ----------  -----------------  ----------  ------------- 
       Net Stable Funding Ratio 
 34                         (%)                                                                    138% 
     --------------------------  -----------  ----------  -----------------  ----------  ------------- 
 

Primary sources of funding

Customer deposits in the form of current accounts and savings deposits payable on demand or at short notice form a significant part of our funding, and the group places considerable importance on maintaining their stability. For deposits, stability depends upon maintaining depositor confidence in our capital strength and liquidity, and on competitive and transparent pricing.

Of total liabilities of US$30,980 million at 31 December 2018, funding from customers amounted to US$21,823 million, of which

US$21,775 million was contractually repayable within one year.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    69 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

An analysis of cash flows payable by the group under financial liabilities by remaining contractual maturities at the balance sheet date is included in Note 25.

Assets available to meet these liabilities, and to cover outstanding commitments to lend (US$15,906 million), included cash, central bank balances, items in the course of collection and treasury and other bills (US$1,928 million); loans to banks (US$5,057 million, including

US$2,596 million repayable within one year); and loans to customers (US$20,073 million, including US$10,359 million repayable within one year). In the normal course of business, a proportion of customer loans contractually repayable within one year will be extended.

The group also access wholesale funding markets by issuing senior secured and unsecured debt securities (publicly and privately) and borrowing from the secured repo markets against high-quality collateral to align asset and liability maturities and currencies and to maintain a presence in local wholesale markets.

Ordinary share capital and retained reserves, non-core capital instruments and intergroup borrowings are also a source of stable funding.

Market risk

Market risk management

Market risk is the risk that movements in market factors, such as foreign exchange rates, interest rates, credit spreads, equity prices and commodity prices, will reduce our income or the value of our portfolios.

The group's exposure to market risk is separated into trading or non-trading portfolios. Trading portfolios comprise positions arising from market-making and warehousing of customer-derived positions. Non-trading portfolios include positions that primarily arise from the interest rate management of the group's retail and commercial banking assets and liabilities and financial investments designated as fair value through other comprehensive income.

Market risk measures

Monitoring and limiting market risk exposures

The group's objective is to manage and control market risk exposures while maintaining a market profile consistent with the group's risk appetite. The group uses a range of tools to monitor and limit market risk exposures, including:

 
 
--  sensitivity measures include sensitivity of net interest income and sensitivity for structural 
     foreign exchange, which are used to monitor the market risk positions within each risk type; 
 
 
 
--  value at risk ('VaR') is a technique that estimates the potential losses that could occur 
     on risk positions as a result of movements in market rates and prices over a specified time 
     horizon and to a given level of confidence; and 
 
 
 
--  in recognition of VaR's limitations the group augments VaR with stress testing to evaluate 
     the potential impact on portfolio values of more extreme, though plausible, events or movements 
     in a set of financial variables. 
 

Market risk is managed and controlled through limits approved by the Risk Management Meeting of the GMB for HSBC Holdings and our various global businesses. These limits are allocated across business lines and to the HSBC Group's legal entities.

The management of market risk is principally undertaken in Global Markets. VaR limits are set for portfolios, products and risk types, with market liquidity being a primary factor in determining the level of limits set.

VaR limits are set for portfolios, products and risk types, with market liquidity being a primary factor in determining the level of limits set. HSBC Group Risk, an independent unit within HSBC Group, is responsible for our market risk management policies and measurement techniques. The group has an independent market risk management and control function that is responsible for measuring market risk exposures in accordance with the policies defined by HSBC Group Risk, and monitoring and reporting these exposures against the prescribed limits on a daily basis.

The group assesses the market risks arising on each product in its business and to transfer them to either its Global Markets unit for management, or to separate books managed under the supervision of the local ALCO. Our aim is to ensure that all market risks are consolidated within operations that have the necessary skills, tools, management and governance to manage them professionally. In certain cases where the market risks cannot be fully transferred, the group identifies the impact of varying scenarios on valuations or on net interest income resulting from any residual risk positions.

Sensitivity analysis

Sensitivity analysis measures the impact of individual market factor movements on specific instruments or portfolios, including interest rates, foreign exchange rates and equity prices, such as the effect of a one basis point change in yield. We use sensitivity measures to monitor the market risk positions within each risk type. Sensitivity limits are set for portfolios, products and risk types, with the depth of the market being one of the principal factors in determining the level of limits set.

Value at risk

Value at risk ('VaR') is a technique that estimates the potential losses on risk positions as a result of movements in market rates and prices over a specified time horizon and to a given level of confidence.

The VaR models used by the group are predominantly based on historical simulation. These models derive plausible future scenarios from past series of recorded market rates and prices, taking into account inter-relationships between different markets and rates, such as interest rates and foreign exchange rates. The models also incorporate the effect of option features on the underlying exposures. The historical simulation models assess potential market movements with reference to data from the past two years and calculate VaR to a 99% confidence level and for a one-day holding period.

The group routinely validates the accuracy of its VaR models by back-testing the actual daily profit and loss results, adjusted to remove non-modelled items such as fees and commissions, against the corresponding VAR numbers. Statistically, the group would expect to see losses in excess of VaR only 1% of the time over a one-year period. The actual number of excesses over this period can therefore be used to gauge how well the models are performing.

Although a valuable guide to risk, VaR should always be viewed in the context of its limitations:

 
 
--  the use of historical data as a proxy for estimating future events may not encompass all potential 
     events, particularly those which are extreme in nature; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 70   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
--  the use of a one-day holding period assumes that all positions can be liquidated or the risks 
     offset in one day. This may not fully reflect the market risk arising at times of severe illiquidity, 
     when a one-day holding period may be insufficient to liquidate or hedge all positions fully; 
 
 
 
--  the use of a 99% confidence level, by definition, does not take into account losses that might 
     occur beyond this level of confidence; 
 
 
 
--  VaR is calculated on the basis of exposures outstanding at the close of business and therefore 
     does not necessarily reflect intra-day exposures; and 
 
 
 
--  VaR is unlikely to reflect loss potential on exposures that only arise under conditions of 
     significant market movement. 
 

Trading and non-trading portfolio

The following table provides an overview of the reporting of the risks within this section:

 
 
 
                                                                Portfolio 
                                                          ---------------------- 
                                               Footnotes    Trading  Non-trading 
                                               ---------  ---------  ----------- 
Risk type 
Foreign exchange and commodity                     1            VaR          VaR 
Interest rate                                                   VaR          VaR 
Credit spread                                                   VaR          VaR 
---------------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  ----------- 
 
 
 
1  The reporting of commodity risk is consolidated with foreign exchange risk and is not applicable 
    to non-trading portfolios. 
 

Value at risk of the trading and non-trading portfolio

The group VaR, both trading and non-trading, is below:

 
 
 
 Value at risk 
                                                         2018       2017 
                                                       US$000     US$000 
At 31 Dec                                               2,437     10,909 
                                                               --------- 
Average                                                 7,415      5,875 
                                                               --------- 
Maximum                                                12,124     10,979 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Minimum                                                 2,437      3,104 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

Trading portfolios

The group's control of market risk in the trading portfolios is based on a policy of restricting individual operations to trading within a

list of permissible instruments authorised for each site by HSBC Group Risk, of enforcing new product approval procedures, and of restricting trading in the more complex derivative products only to offices with appropriate levels of product expertise and robust

control systems.

Market-making and position-taking is undertaken within Global Markets. The VaR for such trading intent activity at 31 December 2018 was US$2 million (2017: US$11 million).

 
 
 
 VaR by risk type for the trading intent activities 
                                                Foreign   Interest     Credit 
                                          exchange (FX)       rate     spread      Total 
                              Footnotes          US$000     US$000     US$000     US$000 
At 31 Dec 2018                     1, 2           1,583      1,132        612      1,931 
Average                                           5,182      2,794        487      5,557 
Maximum                                          12,647      4,191      1,252     11,977 
Minimum                                           1,332        599        208      1,608 
----------------------------  ---------  --------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 
At 31 Dec 2017                                   11,738      2,852        372     11,011 
Average                                           3,833      2,809        414      4,654 
Maximum                                          11,944      4,248      1,047     11,301 
Minimum                                             201      1,387        122      1,472 
----------------------------  ---------  --------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 
 
 
1  The total VaR is non-additive across risk types due to diversification effects. 
 
 
 
2  The increase in VaR in 2017 was driven by the volatility in certain currencies, mainly Qatari 
    Riyal (QAR) and Egyptian Pound (EGP). This was a result of the current regional situation 
    and the devaluation of the EGP, respectively. 
 

Non Trading portfolios

Non-trading VaR of the Group includes contributions from all global businesses. There is no commodity risk in the non-trading portfolios. Non-trading VaR includes the interest rate risk in the banking book transferred to and managed by Balance Sheet Management ('BSM') and the non-trading financial instruments held by BSM.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    71 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
 
 VaR by risk type for the non-trading activities 
                                            Interest     Credit 
                                                rate     spread      Total 
                                              US$000     US$000     US$000 
At 31 Dec 2018                                 2,033        489      2,043 
Average                                        4,211        921      4,568 
Maximum                                        5,850      2,181      6,949 
Minimum                                        2,033        350      2,043 
-----------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 
At 31 Dec 2017                                 3,623        917      3,815 
Average                                        2,640        669      2,664 
Maximum                                        3,623      1,221      3,819 
Minimum                                        1,893        317      1,771 
-----------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------- 
 

Gap risk

Certain products are structured in such a way that they give rise to enhanced gap risk, being the risk that loss is incurred upon occurrence of a gap event. A gap event is a significant and sudden change in market price with no accompanying trading opportunity. Such movements may occur, for example, when, in reaction to an adverse event or unexpected news announcement, some parts of the market move far beyond their normal volatility range and become temporarily illiquid.

Given the characteristics, these transactions, they will make little or no contribution to VaR or to traditional market risk sensitivity measures. The group captures the risks for such transactions within the stress testing scenarios and monitor gap risk on an ongoing basis.

The group incurred no material losses arising from gap risk movements in the underlying market price on such transactions in the 12 months ended 31 December 2018.

De-peg risk

For certain currencies (pegged or managed) the spot exchange rate is pegged at a fixed rate (typically to USD), or managed within a predefined band around a pegged rate. De-peg risk is the risk of the peg or managed band changing or being abolished, and moving to a floating regime.

Using stressed scenarios on spot rates, the group is able to analyse how de-peg events would impact the positions held by the group. This complements traditional market risk metrics, such as historical VaR, which may not fully capture the risk involved in holding positions in pegged currencies. Historical VaR relies on past events to determine the likelihood of potential profits or losses. However, pegged or managed currencies may not have experienced a de-peg event during the historical timeframe being considered.

Non-trading portfolios

The principal objective of market risk management of non-trading portfolios is to optimise net interest income.

Interest rate risk in non-trading portfolios arises principally from mismatches between the future yield on assets and their funding cost as a result of interest rate changes. Analysis of this risk is complicated by having to make assumptions on embedded optionality within certain product areas, such as the incidence of mortgage prepayments, and from behavioural assumptions regarding the economic duration of liabilities which are contractually repayable on demand such as current accounts, and the re-pricing behaviour of managed rate products.

The control of market risk in the non-trading portfolios is based on transferring the risks to the books managed by Global Markets and Balance Sheet Management ('BSM') or the local ALCO. The net exposure is typically managed through the use of interest rate swaps within agreed limits. The VaR for these portfolios is included within the group VaR.

Market risk arises on equity securities held at fair value through other comprehensive income. The fair value of these securities at

31 December 2018 was US$257 million (2017: US$118 million).

Structural foreign exchange exposures

Structural foreign exchange exposures represent net investments in subsidiaries, branches or associates, the functional currencies of which are currencies other than the US dollar. An entity's functional currency is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates.

Exchange differences on structural exposures are recorded in 'Other comprehensive income'. The main operating currencies of the group are UAE dirham and other Gulf currencies that are linked to the US dollar.

The group's policy is to hedge structural foreign currency exposures only in limited circumstances. The group's structural foreign exchange exposures are managed with the primary objective of ensuring, where practical, that the group's capital ratio is protected from the effect of changes in exchange rates. This is usually achieved by ensuring that the rates of structural exposures in a given currency to risk-weighted assets denominated in that currency is broadly equal to the capital ratio. The group considers hedging structural foreign currency exposures only in limited circumstances to protect the capital ratio or the US dollar value of capital invested. Such hedging would be undertaken using forward foreign exchange controls or by financing the borrowings in the same currencies as the functional currencies involved.

Net interest income sensitivity

A principal part of the group's management of market risk in non-trading portfolios is monitoring the sensitivity of projected net interest income under varying interest rate scenarios (simulation modelling). The group aims, through our management of market risk in non-trading portfolios, to mitigate the impact of prospective interest rate movements which could reduce future net interest income, while balancing the cost of hedging such activities on the current net revenue stream.

For simulation modelling, businesses use a combination of scenarios relevant to their local businesses and markets and standard scenarios which are required throughout the HSBC Group. The latter are consolidated to illustrate the combined pro forma effect on the group's consolidated portfolio valuations and net interest income.

 
 
 
 
 
 72   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

Projected net interest income sensitivity figures represent the effect of the pro forma movements in net interest income based on the projected yield curve scenarios and the group's current interest rate risk profile. This effect, however, does not incorporate actions which would probably be taken by Global Markets or in the business units to mitigate the effect of interest rate risk. In reality, Global Markets seeks proactively to change the interest rate risk profile to minimise losses and optimise net revenues. The projections also assume that interest rates of all maturities move by the same amount (although rates are not assumed to become negative in the falling rates scenario) and, therefore, do not reflect the potential impact on net interest income of some rates changing while others remain unchanged. In addition, the projections take account of the effect on net interest income of anticipated differences in changes between interbank interest rates and interest rates linked to other bases (such as Central Bank rates or product rates over which the entity has discretion in terms of the timing and extent of rate changes). The projections make other simplifying assumptions, including that all positions run to maturity.

Defined benefit pension scheme

Market risk also arises within the group's defined benefit pension schemes to the extent that the obligations of the schemes are not fully matched by assets with determinable cash flows.

Operational risk

Operational risk is the risk to achieving the strategy or objectives as a result of inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or from external events.

Responsibility for minimising operational risk lies with all the group's employees. They are required to manage the operational risks of the business for which they are responsible.

The objective of the group's operational risk management is to manage and control operational risk in a cost-effective manner within targeted levels of operational risk consistent with the group's risk appetite, as defined by the Group Management Board.

Operational risk management framework

Overview

The objective of our operational risk management is to manage and control operational risk in a cost-effective manner within targeted levels of operational risk consistent with our risk appetite, as defined by the Board of Directors.

Key developments in 2018

During 2018, we continued to strengthen our approach to managing operational risk, as set out in the Group's operational risk management framework ('ORMF'). The approach sets out the governance, appetite and provides an end-to-end view of non- financial risks, enhancing focus on the risks that matter the most and associated controls. It incorporates a risk management system to enable active risk management.

Activity to strengthen our risk culture and better embed the approach, particularly the three lines of defence model, continued to be a key focus in 2018. It sets our roles and responsibilities for managing operational risk on a daily basis.

Governance and structure

The ORMF defines minimum standards and processes, and the governance structure for the management of operational risk and internal control in our countries, businesses and functions. The ORMF has been codified in a high-level standards manual, supplemented with detailed policies, which describes our approach to identifying, assessing, monitoring and controlling operational risk and gives guidance on mitigating action to be taken when weaknesses are identified.

We have a dedicated Operational Risk sub-function within our Risk function. It is responsible for providing oversight of the ORMF, monitoring the level of operational losses and the internal control environment supported by their second line of defence functions. It supports the Chief Risk Officer and the Risk Committee, which meets at least quarterly to discuss key risk issues and review implementation of the ORMF. The sub-function is also responsible for preparation of operational risk reporting, including reports for consideration by the RMM and Risk Committee. A formal governance structure provides oversight of the sub-function's management.

Key risk management processes

Business managers are responsible for maintaining an acceptable level of internal control commensurate with the scale and nature of operations, and for identifying and assessing risks, designing controls and monitoring the effectiveness of these controls. The ORMF helps managers to fulfil these responsibilities by defining a standard risk assessment methodology and providing a tool for the systematic reporting of operational loss data.

A Group-wide risk management system is used to record the results of the operational risk management process. Operational risk and control self-assessments, along with issue and action plans, are entered and maintained by business units. Business and functional management monitor the progress of documented action plans to address shortcomings. To help ensure that operational risk losses are consistently reported and monitored, businesses and functions are required to report individual losses when the net loss is expected to exceed $10,000. Losses are entered into the Group-wide risk management system and reported to governance on a monthly basis.

Continuity of business operations

Every department within the organisation undertakes business continuity management, which incorporates the development of a plan including a business impact analysis assessing risk when business disruption occurs.

The group maintains dedicated work area recovery sites. Regular testing of these facilities is carried out with representation from each business and support function, to ensure business continuity plans remain accurate, relevant and fit for purpose. Where possible, it is ensured that critical business systems are not co-located with business system users, thereby reducing concentration risk.

Legal risk

The group implements processes and procedures in place to manage legal risk that conform to HSBC Group standards.

Legal risk falls within the definition of operational risk and includes the risk of a member of the group suffering financial loss, legal or regulatory action or reputational damage due to:

 
 
--  contractual risk, which is the risk that any group member enters into inadequate or unenforceable 
     customer contracts or ancillary documentation, inadequate or unenforceable non-customer contracts 
     or ancillary documentation and/or contractual fiduciary; 
 
 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    73 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

 
 
--  dispute adjudication risk, which is the risk arising due to an adverse dispute environment 
     or a failure to take appropriate steps to defend, prosecute and/or resolve actual or threatened 
     legal claims brought against or by a group member, including for the avoidance of doubt, regulatory 
     matters; 
 
 
 
--  legislative risk, which is the risk that a group member fails to or is unable to identify, 
     analyse, track, assess or correctly interpret applicable legislation, case law or regulation, 
     or new regulatory, legislative or doctrinal interpretations of existing laws or regulations, 
     or decisions in the Courts or regulatory bodies; 
 
 
 
--  non-contractual rights risk, which is the risk that a group member's assets are not properly 
     owned or protected or are infringed by others, or a group member infringes another party's 
     rights; and 
 
 
 
--  non-contractual obligations risk, which is the risk arising due to infringement of third-party 
     rights and/or breach of common law duties. 
 

The group has a legal function to assist management in controlling legal risk. The function provides legal advice to manage and control legislative, contractual and non-contractual risks and support in managing litigation claims and significant regulatory enforcement against group companies, as well as in respect of non-routine debt recoveries or other litigation against third parties.

The group members must notify the legal department immediately if any litigation, dispute or material regulatory action is either threatened or commenced against the group or an employee (acting in his capacity as an officer or employee of the group). The legal department must be immediately advised of any significant action by a regulatory authority, where the proceedings are criminal, or where the claim might materially affect HSBC Group's reputation.

The legal department will assess each claim that is threatened or commenced against the group or any employee (acting in his capacity as an officer or employee of the group) in order to determine the appropriate action, including appointment of external counsel, consideration of the merits of the claim, consideration of any provision, consideration of any document holds or interviews that may be required and consideration of any immediate reporting to senior management or the bank's regulators as may be necessary.

The legal department must immediately advise the bank's senior management, the HSBC Group of any threatened or actual litigation claims if such claim exceeds US$5 million or of any significant action by a regulatory authority, where the proceedings are criminal or where a claim might materially affect HSBC Group's reputation. In addition, the legal department submits periodic returns to the bank's risk management meeting and Board Risk Committee meeting, including updates on ongoing litigation and details of any judgements issued against the group. These returns are shared with the bank's regulators on a periodic basis.

Finally, the group is required to submit a quarterly return to HSBC Group detailing outstanding claims where the claim (or group of similar claims) exceeds US$10 million, where the action is by a regulatory authority, where the proceedings are criminal, where the claim might materially affect the group's reputation, or, where the HSBC Group has requested returns be completed for a particular claim. These returns are used for reporting to the HSBC Group Audit Committee and the Board of HSBC Holdings plc.

Capital management

The Dubai Financial Services Authority ('DFSA') is the lead regulator of the bank.

The bank's objective is to ensure that capital resources are at all times adequate and efficiently used. This implies assessing the bank's capital demand and maintaining the capital supply at the required level. The bank's approach to capital management is driven by strategic and organisational requirements, taking into account the regulatory, economic and commercial environment in which it operates in. The bank's policy on capital management is underpinned by a capital management process and the internal capital adequacy assessment process, which enables it to manage its capital in a consistent manner.

The DFSA supervises the bank and, receives information on the capital adequacy of, and sets capital requirements for, the bank. Individual branches and subsidiaries are directly regulated by their local banking supervisors, where applicable, who set and monitor their capital adequacy requirements.

The DFSA's capital requirements are prescribed in the DFSA Prudential - Investment, Insurance Intermediation and Banking Module ('PIB'). In accordance with the PIB:

 
 
1.  the capital requirement for an authorised firm is calculated, subject to (2), as the higher 
     of: 
 
 
 
      a.  the applicable Base Capital Requirement as set out in the PIB or 
 
 
 
      b.  its Risk Capital Requirement as set out in the PIB. 
 
 
 
2.  where 1(b) is the higher and the authorised firm has an Individual Capital Requirement ('ICR') 
     imposed on it then the Capital Requirement is its ICR plus Risk Capital Requirement. 
 

An authorised firm must calculate its Risk Capital Requirement as the sum of the following:

 
 
--  the Credit Risk Capital Requirement; 
 
 
 
--  the Market Risk Capital Requirement; 
 
 
 
--  the Operational Risk Capital Requirement; and 
 
 
 
--  the Displaced Commercial Risk Capital Requirement, where applicable. 
 

Further, the bank is subject to a Capital Conservation Buffer of 25% of Risk Capital Requirements.

The PIB requires an authorised firm to:

 
 
--  appropriately apply a risk-weight to all on-balance sheet assets and off-balance sheet exposures 
     for capital adequacy purposes. A risk-weight is based on a Credit Quality Grade aligned with 
     the likelihood of counterparty default; 
 
 
 
--  calculate the Credit Risk Capital Requirement for its on-balance sheet assets and off-balance 
     sheet exposures; and 
 
 
 
--  reduce the Credit Risk Capital Requirement for its on-balance sheet assets and off-balance 
     sheet exposures where the exposure is covered fully or partly by some form of eligible Credit 
     Risk mitigant. 
 

The DFSA has granted approval to the bank to use HSBC Group internal models for the purposes of calculating Market Risk Requirements.

The bank uses the Standardised Approach for the calculation of Operational Risk Capital Requirement.

 
 
 
 
 
 74   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

The bank's regulatory capital is divided into two tiers:

 
 
--  Tier 1 capital comprises equity share capital, share premium, retained earnings, other comprehensive 
     income and other reserves. This is adjusted for the amount of cash flow hedge reserve related 
     to gains or losses on cash flow hedges of financial instruments, all unrealized gains or losses 
     on liabilities that are valued at fair value and which result from changes in the bank's own 
     credit quality and deduction for intangible assets. 
 
 
 
--  Tier 2 capital comprises qualifying non-equity preference share capital, share premium and 
     general provisions limited to 1.25% of Credit Risk Weighted Assets. 
 

The bank maintains its capital requirements at all times in accordance with the DFSA requirements.

 
 
 
 Capital structure at 31 December (solo basis) 
 Unaudited                                                2018        2017 
                                                        US$000      US$000 
                                                    ----------  ---------- 
Composition of regulatory capital 
                                                    ---------- 
Common Equity Tier 1 capital                         4,523,090   4,317,311 
--------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
Additional Tier 1 capital                                    -           - 
--------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
Total Tier 1 capital                                 4,523,090   4,317,311 
--------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
Tier 2 capital                                       1,028,232   1,098,121 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------- 
Total regulatory capital                             5,551,322   5,415,432 
--------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
Risk-weighted assets 
                                                    ---------- 
Credit and counterparty risk                        25,514,540  25,477,895 
                                                    ---------- 
Market risk                                          1,850,063   2,074,120 
                                                    ---------- 
Operational risk                                     3,105,202   3,190,290 
                                                    ---------- 
                                                    30,469,805  30,742,305 
--------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
Capital ratio 
Capital adequacy ratio                                  18.22%        17.62% 
--------------------------------------------------  ----------  ------------ 
 
 
 
 
 32   Contingent liabilities, contractual commitments and guarantees 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                      2018        2017 
                                                                                    US$000      US$000 
                                                                                ----------  ---------- 
Guarantees and other contingent liabilities 
Guarantees                                                                      14,416,716  14,361,374 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
Commitments 
Documentary credits and short-term trade-related transactions                      509,106     620,512 
Undrawn formal standby facilities, credit lines and other commitments to lend   15,397,314  16,310,919 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
At 31 Dec                                                                       15,906,420  16,931,431 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------  ---------- 
 

The above table discloses the nominal principal amounts which represents the maximum amounts at risk should contracts be fully drawn upon and clients default. As a significant portion of guarantees and commitments is expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total of these nominal principal amounts is not representative of future liquidity requirements.

Included in the above are the following contingent liabilities on account of other members of the HSBC Group:

 
 
 
                                                                        2018       2017 
                                                                      US$000     US$000 
Guarantees and assets pledged by the bank as collateral security   2,836,474  2,626,646 
Documentary credits and short-term trade-related transactions        130,983     75,909 
-----------------------------------------------------------------  --------- 
At 31 Dec                                                          2,967,457  2,702,555 
-----------------------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

Guarantees

The group provides guarantees and similar undertakings on behalf of both third-party customers and other entities within the group. These guarantees are generally provided in the normal course of the group's banking business. The principal types of guarantees provided, and the maximum potential amount of future payments which the group could be required to make at 31 December were as follows:

 
 
 
                                                       2018                                 2017 
                                         ---------------------------------  ------------------------------------ 
                                                         Guarantees by the                   Guarantees by the 
                                          Guarantees in    group in favour   Guarantees in  group in favour of 
                                              favour of      of other HSBC       favour of    other HSBC Group 
                                          third parties     Group entities   third parties            entities 
                              Footnotes          US$000             US$000          US$000              US$000 
Financial guarantees                  1       1,322,212            506,298       1,808,159             665,281 
Credit-related guarantees             2       3,707,579            833,465       3,739,796             603,104 
                                         --------------  ----------------- 
Other guarantees                              6,550,451          1,496,711       6,186,773           1,358,261 
----------------------------  ---------  --------------  -----------------  --------------  ------------------ 
At 31 Dec                                    11,580,242          2,836,474      11,734,728           2,626,646 
----------------------------  ---------  --------------  -----------------  --------------  ------------------ 
 
 
 
1  Financial guarantees are contracts that require the issuer to make specified payments to reimburse 
    the holder for a loss incurred because a specified debtor fails to make payment when due. 
 
 
 
2  Credit-related guarantees are contracts that have similar features to financial guarantee 
    contracts but fail to meet the strict definition of a financial guarantee contracts under 
    IAS 39. 
 

The amounts disclosed in the above table are nominal principal amounts and reflect the group's maximum exposure under a large number of individual guarantee undertakings. The risks and exposures arising from guarantees are captured and managed in accordance

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    75 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

with the group's overall credit risk management policies and procedures. Guarantees with terms of more than one year are subject to the group's annual credit review process.

Other commitments

In addition to the commitments disclosed above, at 31 December 2018 the group had capital commitments to purchase, within one year, land and building and other fixed assets for a value of US$ Nil (2017: US$222 million).

Associates

The group and its operations are contingently liable with respect to lawsuits and other matters that arise in the normal course of business. Management is of the opinion that the eventual outcome of the legal and financial liability is not expected to materially affect the group's financial position and operations.

 
 
 
 33   Lease commitments 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

Operating lease commitments

At 31 December 2018, the group was obligated under a number of non-cancellable operating leases for properties, plant and equipment for which the future minimum lease payments extend over a number of years.

 
 
 
                                                                                   Land and buildings 
                                                                                 ---------------------- 
                                                                                      2018       2017 
                                                                                    US$000     US$000 
Future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases expiring: 
- no later than one year                                                             9,762     18,600 
                                                                                            --------- 
- later than one year and no later than five years                                  20,664     20,610 
- later than five years                                                              1,941      1,707 
At 31 Dec                                                                           32,367     40,917 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

In 2018, US$30.3 million (2017: US$25 million) was charged to 'General and administrative expenses' in respect of lease agreements related to minimum lease payments.

Finance lease receivables

The group leases a variety of assets to third parties under finance leases. At the end of lease terms, assets may be sold to third parties or leased for further terms. Rentals are calculated to recover the cost of assets less their residual value, and earn finance income.

 
 
 
                                                      2018                               2017 
                                        --------------------------------  ---------------------------------- 
                                        Total future  Unearned            Total future  Unearned 
                                             minimum   finance   Present       minimum   finance   Present 
                                            payments    income     value      payments    income     value 
                                              US$000    US$000    US$000        US$000    US$000    US$000 
Lease receivables: 
- no later than one year                     129,773    (2,463)  127,310       135,247    (1,975)  133,272 
                                        ------------  --------   ------- 
- later than one year and no later 
 than five years                              56,035    (4,397)   51,638        15,869    (6,284)    9,585 
- later than five years                       25,386    (5,594)   19,792        69,748    (2,732)   67,016 
At 31 Dec                                    211,194   (12,454)  198,740       220,864   (10,991)  209,873 
--------------------------------------  ------------  --------   -------  ------------  --------   ------- 
 
 
 
 
 34   Legal proceedings and regulatory matters 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

The group is party to legal proceedings and regulatory matters in a number of jurisdictions arising out of its normal business operations. Apart from the matters described below, the group considers that none of these matters are material. The recognition of provisions is determined in accordance with the accounting policies set out in Note 2 of the group's Annual Report and Accounts 2018. While the outcome of legal proceedings and regulatory matters is inherently uncertain, management believes that, based on the information available to it, appropriate provisions have been made in respect of these matters as at 31 December 2018. Where an individual provision is material, the fact that a provision has been made is stated and quantified, except to the extent doing so would be seriously prejudicial. Any provision recognised does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing or legal liability. It is not practicable to provide an aggregate estimate of potential liability for our legal proceedings and regulatory matters as a class of contingent liabilities.

Anti-money laundering and sanctions-related

(Matters relevant to the group as a subsidiary of HSBC operating in the Middle East)

In October 2010, HSBC Bank USA entered into a consent cease-and-desist order with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the 'OCC'), and HSBC North America Holdings Inc. ('HNAH') entered into a consent order with the Federal Reserve Board (the 'FRB') (each an 'Order' and together, the 'Orders'). These Orders required improvements to establish an effective compliance risk management programme across HSBC's US businesses, including risk management related to the Bank Secrecy Act ('BSA') and anti-money laundering ('AML') compliance. In 2012, an additional consent order was entered into with the OCC that required HSBC Bank USA to correct the circumstances noted in the OCC's report and imposed restrictions on HSBC Bank USA acquiring control of, or holding an interest in, any new financial subsidiary, or commencing a new activity in its existing financial subsidiary, without the OCC's approval. Between June and September 2018, the OCC and FRB terminated each of these Orders having determined that HSBC had satisfied their requirements.

In December 2012, among other agreements, HSBC Holdings entered into an agreement with the Office of Foreign Assets Control ('OFAC') regarding historical transactions involving parties subject to OFAC sanctions, consented to a cease-and-desist order with the FRB, entered into a 5 year deferred prosecution agreement with, among others, the US Department of Justice (the "US DPA") and agreed

 
 
 
 
 
 76   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 

to an undertaking with the UK FCA to comply with certain forward-looking AML and sanctions-related obligations and to retain an independent compliance monitor to produce annual assessments of the Group's AML and sanctions compliance programme

(the "Independent Consultant"). In February 2018, the Independent Consultant delivered his fourth annual follow-up review report and the fifth annual follow-up review report is expected to be delivered in February 2019. The Independent Consultant will continue working in his capacity as a skilled person and independent consultant for a period of time at the FCA's and FRB's discretion.

Through his country-level reviews, the Independent Consultant identified potential anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance issues that HSBC is reviewing further with the FRB and/or FCA. In December 2017, the US DPA expired and the charges deferred by the US DPA were dismissed. Additionally, HSBC is the subject of other ongoing investigations and reviews by the DoJ and HSBC Bank plc is the subject of an investigation by the FCA into its compliance with UK money laundering regulations and financial crime systems and controls requirements.

These settlements with US and UK authorities have led to private litigation, and do not preclude further private litigation related to HSBC's compliance with applicable BSA, AML and sanctions laws or other regulatory or law enforcement actions for BSA, AML, sanctions or other matters not covered by the various agreements.

In November 2014, a complaint was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf of representatives of US persons alleged to have been killed or injured in Iraq between April 2004 and November 2011 ("ATA Case 1"). The complaint was filed against HSBC Holdings, HSBC Bank plc, HSBC Bank USA and HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, as well as other non-HSBC banks and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The plaintiffs allege that the defendants violated the US Anti-Terrorism Act ('US ATA') by altering or falsifying payment messages involving Iran, Iranian parties and Iranian banks for transactions processed through the US. The defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss in May 2015 and an amended Motion to Dismiss in September 2017, following the filing by the Plaintiffs of a Second Amended Complaint in July 2017. In July 2017, the various motions before the Court were referred for review and for the issuance of a judicial report and recommendations, which was issued in July 2018, and which concluded that the New York District Court should deny the defendants' motion to dismiss. The defendants have challenged this conclusion. The future of ATA Case 1 remains under the consideration of the judge and the motion to dismiss filed by the HSBC defendants, including the group remains pending before the court,

In November 2017, a complaint was filed in the Southern District of New York on behalf of representatives of US soldiers killed or injured whilst serving in Iraq ("ATA Case 2"). The complaint was filed against HSBC Holdings plc, HSBC Bank plc, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, HSBC Bank USA, N.A, HSBC North America Holdings Inc. and other non-HSBC Banks. The plaintiffs allege that the HSBC defendants violated the US ATA by altering or falsifying payment messages involving Iran, Iranian parties and Iranian banks for transactions processed through the US and also allege breaches of US Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act ('JASTA'). The HSBC defendants in ATA Case 2, including the group have filed a Motion to Dismiss, which is currently pending before the Court.

In December 2018, three new cases and two cases relating to existing actions were filed in the New York District Court against the group and various HSBC companies, prompted by an expiry of the statute of limitations which applies to such ATA related claims (the "New ATA Cases"). These New ATA Cases are at a very early stage.

Based on the facts currently known, it is not practicable at this time for HSBC to predict the resolution of ATA Case 1, ATA Case 2 or the New ATA Cases, including the timing or any possible impact on HSBC, which could be significant.

Foreign exchange rate investigations and litigation

Various regulators and competition and law enforcement authorities around the world, including in the EU, Switzerland, Brazil and South Africa, are conducting civil and criminal investigations and reviews into trading by HSBC and others on the foreign exchange markets. HSBC is cooperating with these investigations and reviews and settlements relevant to the group are detailed below.

In September 2017, HBSC Holdings and HNAH consented to a civil money penalty order with the FRB in connection with its investigation into HSBC's historic foreign exchange activities. Under the terms of the order, HSBC Holdings and HNAH agreed to pay a civil money penalty of US$175 million to the FRB.

In January 2018, HSBC Holdings entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the Criminal Fraud Division of the DoJ, regarding fraudulent conduct in connection with two particular transactions in 2010 and 2011. This concluded the DoJ's investigation into HSBC's historical foreign exchange activities. Under the terms of the FX DPA, HSBC has a number of ongoing obligations, including continuing to cooperate with authorities and implementing enhancements to its internal controls and procedures in its Global Markets business, which will be the subject of annual reports to the DoJ. In addition, HSBC agreed to pay a financial penalty and restitution.

There are many factors that may affect the range of outcomes, and the resulting financial impact, of these matters, which could be significant.

 
 
 
 35   Related party transactions 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

The ultimate parent company of the group is HSBC Holdings plc, which is incorporated in England.

Copies of the HSBC Holdings plc financial statements may be obtained from the following address:

HSBC Holdings plc

8 Canada Square

London

E14 5HQ

Related parties of the group include the parent, fellow subsidiaries, associates, joint ventures, post-employment benefit plans for HSBC employees, Key Management Personnel as defined by IAS 24 'Related Party Disclosures', close family members of Key Management Personnel and entities which are controlled, jointly controlled or significantly influenced by Key Management Personnel or their close family members. Key Management Personnel are defined as those persons having authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited and the group and includes members of the Boards of Directors of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    77 
 

Notes on the Financial Statements

Particulars of transactions with related parties are tabulated below. The disclosure of the year-end balance and the highest amounts outstanding during the year is considered to be the most meaningful information to represent the amount of the transactions and outstanding balances during the year.

Key Management Personnel

The emoluments of a number of the Key Management Personnel are paid by other HSBC Group companies who make no recharge to the group. The Directors are also Directors of a number of other HSBC Group companies and it is not possible to make a reasonable apportionment of their emoluments in respect of each of the companies. Accordingly, no emoluments in respect of the Directors paid by other HSBC Group companies and applicable to the group has been included in the following disclosure.

Transactions, arrangements and agreements including Key Management Personnel

 
 
 
 Compensation of Key Management Personnel 
                                                         2018       2017 
                                                       US$000     US$000 
                                                    --------- 
Remuneration (wages and bonus)                          6,307      6,516 
                                                    --------- 
Post-employment benefits                                  290        231 
Share-based payments                                    2,049      2,357 
Year ended 31 Dec                                       8,646      9,104 
--------------------------------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

The table below sets out transactions which fall to be disclosed under IAS 24 between the group and the Key Management Personnel of both the bank and its parent company, HSBC Holdings plc, and their connected persons or controlled companies.

 
 
 
 Transactions and balances during the year with Key Management Personnel 
                                                       2018                                 2017 
                                        ----------------------------------  ------------------------------------ 
                                                           Highest amounts                     Highest amounts 
                                           Balance at 31       outstanding     Balance at 31       outstanding 
                                                     Dec       during year               Dec       during year 
                             Footnotes            US$000            US$000            US$000            US$000 
Key Management Personnel             1 
Loans                                                835               855               861             1,239 
---------------------------  ---------  ----------------  ----------------  ----------------  ---------------- 
Credit cards                                           8                35               271               271 
---------------------------  ---------  ----------------  ----------------  ----------------  ---------------- 
 
 
 
1  Includes Key Management Personnel, close family members of Key Management Personnel and entities 
    that are controlled or jointly controlled by Key Management Personnel or their close family 
    members. 
 

The above transactions were made in the ordinary course of business and on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and security, as for comparable transactions with persons of a similar standing or, where applicable, with other employees. The transactions did not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavourable features.

Transactions with other related parties

Associates

 
 
 
 Transactions and balances during the year with associates 
                                                 2018                                     2017 
                                 -------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------- 
                                    Highest balance during  Balance at  Highest balance during the  Balance at 
                                                  the year      31 Dec                        year      31 Dec 
                                                    US$000      US$000                      US$000      US$000 
Amounts due from associates                              -           -                           -           - 
Amounts due to associates                            1,279       1,279                       1,088       1,088 
-------------------------------  -------------------------  ----------  --------------------------  ---------- 
 

The above outstanding balances arose in the ordinary course of business and on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and security, as for comparable transactions with third-party counterparties.

Transactions of the group with HSBC Holdings plc and fellow subsidiaries of HSBC Holdings plc

 
 
 
 Transactions detailed below include amounts due to/from HSBC Holdings plc 
                                                 2018                                     2017 
                                 -------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------- 
                                    Highest balance during  Balance at  Highest balance during the  Balance at 
                                                  the year      31 Dec                        year      31 Dec 
                                                    US$000      US$000                      US$000      US$000 
Assets 
Loans and advances to customers                      2,463       1,413                       1,400       1,021 
Liabilities 
Customer accounts                                    9,692       3,433                       9,069       7,362 
-------------------------------  -------------------------  ----------  --------------------------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                    For the year ended  For the year ended 
                                                           31 Dec 2018         31 Dec 2017 
                                                                US$000              US$000 
Income statement 
Fee expense                                                          -                   - 
                                                    ------------------ 
Other operating income                                           1,618                 884 
General and administrative expenses                             21,082              18,885 
--------------------------------------------------  ------------------  ------------------ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 78   HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 Transactions detailed below include amounts due to/from fellow subsidiaries of HSBC Holdings 
  plc 
                                                 2018                                     2017 
                                 -------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------- 
                                    Highest balance during  Balance at  Highest balance during the  Balance at 
                                                  the year      31 Dec                        year      31 Dec 
                                                    US$000      US$000                      US$000      US$000 
Assets 
Trading assets                                     870,540      37,596                     279,991      53,231 
                                 -------------------------  ---------- 
Derivatives                                        904,772     648,869                     741,414     681,295 
                                 ------------------------- 
Loans and advances to banks 
 (including reverse repos)                       2,237,126     949,901                   2,318,277   2,114,401 
                                 -------------------------  ---------- 
Financial investments                                    -           -                      61,346      59,630 
------------------------------- 
Liabilities 
Trading liabilities                                199,984       2,242                     217,003       6,457 
Deposits by banks                                1,661,620     482,541                   2,846,052   1,614,023 
Derivatives                                        930,712     863,808                   1,250,075     783,896 
Subordinated amounts due                           950,000     950,000                     950,000     950,000 
Off-balance sheet 
Guarantees                                       3,231,514   2,836,474                   2,626,646   2,626,646 
Documentary credit and 
 short-term trade-related 
 transactions                                      179,904     130,983                     108,402      75,909 
-------------------------------  -------------------------  ----------  --------------------------  ---------- 
 
 
 
 
                                                    For the year ended  For the year ended 
                                                           31 Dec 2018         31 Dec 2017 
                                                                US$000              US$000 
                                                    ------------------  ------------------ 
Income Statement 
Interest income                                                  2,238               5,317 
Interest expense                                                68,572              63,506 
Fee income                                                      63,706              61,716 
Fee expense                                                     18,508              21,142 
Other operating income                                          77,070              46,304 
General and administrative expenses                            143,395             111,407 
--------------------------------------------------  ------------------  ------------------ 
 

The above outstanding balances arose in the ordinary course of business and on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and security, as for comparable transactions with third-party counterparties.

Transactions between HSBC Bank Middle East Limited and its subsidiaries

 
 
 
 Transactions detailed below include amounts due to/from HSBC Bank Middle East Limited and 
  its subsidiaries 
                                                     2018                                   2017 
                                  -------------------------------------------  ------------------------------ 
                                                                   Balance at   Highest balance  Balance at 
                                  Highest balance during the year      31 Dec   during the year      31 Dec 
                                                           US$000      US$000            US$000      US$000 
Assets 
Loans and advances to customers                             6,369       1,888           300,347       5,535 
                                  ------------------------------- 
Liabilities 
Customer accounts                                          49,015      26,168            49,015      49,015 
--------------------------------  -------------------------------  ----------  ----------------  ---------- 
 

The above outstanding balances arose in the ordinary course of business and on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and security, as for comparable transactions with third-party counterparties.

 
 
 
 36   Events after the balance sheet date 
---  ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 

A second interim dividend for 2018 of US$ 0.1074 per ordinary share (a distribution of US$100 million) was declared by the Directors on 12 February 2019.

These accounts were approved by the Board of Directors on 19 February 2019 and authorised for issue.

 
 
 
    HSBC Bank Middle East Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2018    79 
 

HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

Head Office

Level 1, Building No. 8, Gate Village

Dubai International Financial Centre

DIFC, PO Box 502601, Dubai, UAE

Middle East Management Office

HSBC Tower

Downtown

P O Box 66

Dubai

United Arab Emirates

ALGERIA

El Mohammadia branch

Hydra branch

Oran branch

BAHRAIN

Seef - Main Branch

Adliya

Manama - Batelco Building

Sanad

KUWAIT

Kuwait City - Sharq Area

QATAR

Doha - Airport Road (Main Branch)

Doha - City Centre

Doha - Salwa Road

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Abu Dhabi - Old Airport Road

Dubai - Deira Al Muraqqabat

Dubai - Bur Dubai

Dubai - Jumeirah

Jebel Ali - Free Trade Zone

Fujairah - Hamad Bin Abdulla St

Ras Al Khaimah - Al Dhait

Sharjah - King Faisal Road

7 Customer Service Units and 2 Management Offices

 
 
 
 Principal Subsidiary Companies 
 

HSBC Financial Services (Middle East) Limited

HSBC Middle East Securities LLC

HSBC Middle East Finance Company Limited

HSBC Insurance Services (Lebanon) S.A.L.

HSBC Bank Middle East Representative Office Morocco S.A.R.L.

 
 
 
 Associated Companies 
 

MENA Infrastructure Fund (GP) Limited

 
 
 
 Special Connections With These Members Of The 
  HSBC Group 
 

HSBC Bank Oman S.A.O.G.

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E.

HSBC Bank International Limited

HSBC Securities (Egypt) S.A.E.

HSBC Electronic Data Service Delivery (Egypt) S.A.E.

HSBC Saudi Arabia Limited

The Saudi British Bank

HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA (DIFC Branch)

HSBC Middle East Leasing Partnership

HSBC Bank A.S.

HSBC BANK MIDDLE EAST LIMITED

Incorporated in the Dubai International Financial Centre number - 2199

Regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

REGISTERED OFFICE

Level 1, Building No. 8, Gate Village, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

(c) Copyright HSBC BANK MIDDLE EAST LIMITED 2018

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,

electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of HSBC BANK MIDDLE

EAST LIMITED.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

END

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